Chapter 5: Caregiver Perspective
Challenges of interdisciplinary teamwork
- can be time consuming - danger of groupthink - scheduling difficulties - can involve competition and conflict
Identity in limbo
- caregivers in training are no longer laypersons, but they are not yet full-fledged professionals either
compassion rebound
- caregivers typically bounce back and regain at least a portion of their idealism and compassion once they are in the field
conflict
- feel stressed when faced with conflicting demands - exacerbated if supervisors and colleagues do not appreciate their efforts
Implications
- high pressure environments prepare students for real life situations - clearly established chain of command may help health care teams make quick decisions and carry them out - the hardships may strengthen group membership
Emphasis on science
- in last 100 years contemporary (holistic) medicine has been treated as peripheral to conventional (biomedical)
emotions
- intense emotions can cause stress and lead to emotional exhaustion - must be compassionate yet controlled
confidence
- it is natural to feel like an imposter when one adopts a new role - "what gives me the right to make decisions for other people" - socialized to be confident and in control - may feel the need to know everything off the top of their head
Flexner Report (1910)
- led to medical school focus on biology and other sciences
isolation
- long hours - uniqueness from other ppl make them feel different
Why Mistakes Happen
- miscommunication - communication breakdowns - sloppy handwriting - forgotten or delayed instructions - busy shift changes - although patients yearn for apologies and explanations, and health professionals may want to provide them, they may feel that, if they own up to mistakes, they are on their own if lawsuits ensue
advantages of interdisciplinary teamwork
- multiple perspectives enhance innovation and creativity - team members may be gratified to have input - reduces costly oversights - enhances biopsychosocial care - responsibilities and learning are shared
emotional preparedness
- sometimes professionals have less everyday experience than the patients who turn to them for guidance - caregivers may not know how to respond, having never experienced or been prepared for the situation at hand
resentment
- students sometimes begin to regard their patients as adversaries - derogatory terms - empathy for patients typically decreases - womens higher than mens
satisfaction
- taken for granted that health professional satisfactio is either guaranteed or irrelevant - satisfaction bolstered when patients are friendly, and up front about their needs - feel appreciated for their work - don't like feeling tired or rushed
privileges
- they see things normal people will never see - world of knowledge - privilege that comes with being a professional
burnout
combination of factors, including emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment
3. The Flexner Report conducted in the early 1900s is responsible for sweeping changes that continue until the present day. What was the most influential result of the report? A. Medical schools began focusing more on science and biology. B. For the first time, medical schools began admitting women and people of diverse races and ethnicities. C. Medical schools made communication training an integral part of their curricula. D. Both B and C.
A. Medical schools began focusing more on science and biology.
1. According to the book, all of the following are components of burnout EXCEPT: A. Sensory deprivation B. Emotional exhaustion C. Depersonalization D. Reduced sense of accomplishment
A. Sensory deprivation
4. Teamwork offers all of the following advantages EXCEPT: A. It involves people in decision-making. B. It reduces costly oversights and duplications. C. It increases reliance on biomedical care. D. It allows people to address a number of issues simultaneously.
C. It increases reliance on biomedical care.
2. Which of the following is recommended as a good way to deal with difficult patients? A. Ignore them. They will usually stop bad behavior if it doesn't attract attention. B. Have supervisors on hand so frontline personnel never have to deal with difficult patients. C. Treat complaints as opportunities. D. Speak very slowly and quietly.
C. Treat complaints as opportunities.
5. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is designed to guarantee which of the following? A. Patients have access to their own medical records. B. Insurance companies can access patients' medical records. C. Patients' medical information is kept confidential. D.Both A and C
D.Both A and C
Caring about someone else without becoming emotionally involved
Detached concern
a reduced sense of personal accomplishment
Involves feeling like a failure; People who feel this way may become depressed, experience low self-esteem, and leave their jobs or avoid certain tasks
A process in which a computer databank matches information about the patient to diagnosis and treatment information
Knowledge coupling
rote learning
Learning information in a relatively uninterpreted form, without making sense of it or attaching much meaning to it. memorization.
Learning by applying knowledge and awareness to actual scenarios
Problem-based learning
role theory
Proposes that social roles are defined by unique sets of rights, responsibilities, and privileges
A vocabulary characterized by carefully controlled compassion and a concern for accuracy and expediency
Voice of medicine
rite of passage
a challenge that qualifies students for advancement
detached concern
a sense of caring about other people without becoming emotionally involved in the process
double bind
a situation of conflict in which there are negative consequences no matter which option is chosen
mindfulness
awareness of one's self and others and a nonjudgmental respect for diversity
communication training
becoming a priority bc communication can be instrumental in making good decisions, reducing costs, improving health outcomes, raising patient satisfaction, and minimizing mistakes and misunderstandings
emotional exhaustion
burnout that occurs when individuals feel emotionally drained by work - feel that they can no longer summon motivation or compassion
never events
clear, preventable errors with serious consequences
causes of stress and burnout
conflict, emotional fatigue, and excessive workload
A situation in which there are negative consequences no matter which option you choose. This dilemma contributes to burnout, especially among nurses and allied health professionals.
double bind
A component of burnout
emotional exhaustion
A sensitive subject that may make you feel especially positive or negative about a patient
emotional hot button
The idea that the same qualities that attract people to health care make them especially vulnerable to burnout as health professionals
empathic communication
socialization
learning to behave appropriately within a specific community - school is often first place people begin to learn what it means to act ad talk like a professional caregiver
scut work
menial chores that no one else wants to do
The relational health communication competence model
observes that communication, social support, and emotional resilience are positively associated with each other
Memorizing information without necessarily knowing how to apply or use the information
rote learning
problem-based learning
students apply information to actual scenarios rather than simply memorizing it
empathetic communication model of burnout
suggests that health care is appealing to people who are concerned about others and are able to imagine others' joy and pain how to avoid burnout: hold daily debriefings with yourself - resist the urge to put off the "good stuff" - be mindful about what makes you happy - invest in gratifying relationships - design your own time pie - seek the company of people whose presence replenishes you
hidden curriculum
the attitudes and practices that others model, even though they don't explicitly teach them
Depersonalization
the tendency to treat people in an unfeeling, impersonal way
voice of medicine
voice characterized by carefully controlled compassion and a concern for accuracy and expediency