The Athena Institute Hospice program has been a transformative experience for a better understanding of patient care and becoming a pillar of support. Before the Hospice program, my idea of patient care was simply to just provide the patient with basic physical needs, but that could not have been further from the truth. The beginning prompts initially surprised me as they had been focused on self-understanding and personal experience. After completing many prompts, I realized that patient care is much more emotionally involved than I had originally assumed. It was not until later in the program that I realized how these foundations in emotional intelligence are necessary for developing a strong patient care support system. I discovered that your role is to not only make sure the patient is physically comfortable and has their basic necessities met, but also to support and help the patient and their family through the mental and emotional journey.
The hospice program has helped teach me how to handle difficult conversations, and more importantly, the value of simply sitting and listening to the patients and their families. I now better understand that caring for a patient is not about having all the correct answers, but rather about being able to connect and share experiences with the patient and their family. This allows the patient to have the best possible transition from life into death, with an understanding that death is not something to fear or avoid, but rather something to embrace and better understand.
My role within the program has helped me better develop stronger communication skills based on the role of listening I had previously mentioned. I had always felt awkward and uncomfortable with silence as if it was an error or flaw on my part to not be able to keep the conversation flowing. I worried that I might not have enough to say or be at a loss for words, causing discomfort. The hospice organization has taught me that silence is not only acceptable but sometimes necessary. Through this enhanced thought process, I have grown to facilitate the formation of improved relationships both personally and professionally. I did not expect such exercises in self-actualization, but I am grateful to have this newfound self-awareness and escalated communication skills. I still use the mnemonic TABLE (Talk, Adult, Background, Level tone, Expression) I had formulated early in the program to help guide my communication strategies not only for patient care but for all aspects of life. Communication is never one-sided and requires strong skills in both speaking and listening.
While the Athena Institute develops solid foundations and core skills for supporting patients and their families, it also advocates for the volunteers to supplement and augment their individual development. I learned not only how to take care of others, but also to take care of myself, as we will all be faced with challenges at some point, such as burnout and ambiguous loss. Lastly, I gained an appreciation for the ability to take a step back. It is essential to reanalyze every situation and reassess the changing needs of yourself as well as the patients and families. This allows you to refresh and in turn, provide the best care possible. The fundamentals cemented by this experience will serve as the foundation on which I will build my career in medicine.