Journal of Immersioncy Medicine

Journal of Immersioncy Medicine · Layered Prescriptions, Vol. 1

Do Not Go Bedside Without Your Humanity Present

By Kaveh Kavoosi, MD · Emergency Physician

Presence is an essential part of every encounter between a patient and the person caring for them. It isn’t always missing. But it is often not prioritized, let alone seen as essential. It should be.

Imagine yourself in your time of need.

A nurse or doctor comes to your bedside. They ask why you’re here, your “chief complaint.” They ask, examine, then leave the room.

In the silence just as they leave, what do you feel? Were they there? Did you feel them? Did you feel a person there, or did you just answer their questions?

A human absent to their humanity is concerning.

I often find myself at the bedside. One priority I have cultivated is seeing each patient first as one of my own. This dissolves separation. They feel seen, heard, acknowledged and understood.

Your capacity for contact with your humanity is vital.

It is as important as bringing your tools. There is a human you are encountering.

Give yourself the gift in giving it to them.

You wither over time by creating separation. Your loved ones receive what remains.

Look into their eyes and remember. One day, you may need their humanity too.

Remember. And remember when you forget.

Today’s invitation: Rx: meet their eyes before the chart. Sig: once per encounter, before the plan.