Unfortunately, due to the lasting effects of the pandemic, I was unable to meet with any patients and help them and their families through their hospice journeys. However, all that I have learned going through the training process has led me to think differently about the medical field and my values as a future member of the healthcare field.
Death is a part of life that everyone faces at some point. Many healthcare workers, however, make it their goal to heal or cure all of their patients. However, this is not always the best option for the patient themselves or their families. There are so many patients that are unable to return to their normal, healthy life, and doctors need to change their mentality in these situations. By learning the other side – palliative care – of medicine, I believe that I am now able to better understand what “curing” a patient really means. In some instances, to be cured is to be able to return to daily activities and live a normal life again. However, in other cases, to be cured is to end one’s life with dignity and happiness. The value of learning the differences in what is best for patients is extremely important and should be emphasized more in medical schools. I am so grateful for the opportunity to get a greater understanding of this differentiation.
Over the course of this training experience, I believe I have grown in the sense that I am able to communicate and listen better than before. When spending time with a patient, sometimes all they want is for you to listen or simply just be there. Even though I was unable to see any patients, from all the readings and videos I have watched, I can see how important it is to be a good listener for these individuals, and I believe that I have taken this information into my daily life as well.
Throughout this time, I have also gained a greater understanding and appreciation for individuals that devote their lives to hospice care. During the peak of the pandemic, my grandmother passed away in her nursing home, and we were unable to be with her. Now knowing how much care and support hospice can provide, I feel comfort knowing that she was happy and comfortable in her last few days.
Everybody has experienced a loved one passing away in their lives, and the stigmatism around death has been turned into a genuine fear that many people have. By spreading information about palliative care, I believe that we can change the narrative around death and make it more accepted and less feared.
Overall, this experience has helped me appreciate the process of dying and learn how to make individuals more comfortable with the fact that one day, they too, will pass away. I am lucky to have had this opportunity to understand more about death and I hope to use this information in my future endeavors in the medical field. I hope to share my findings with others around me so we can all work together to change the definition of the word “cure”.