When it comes to working with patients, many skills are necessary. You must know the proper methods to use and the correct jargon to convey information correctly across the medical practice and to the patients. However, you must also develop a tremendous amount of respect for your patients. Learning what you may encounter and how to handle these issues are imperative.
When someone seeks advice from a professional, such as an individual with a bachelor of radiation science technology, he or she may bring family along. Family members are often part of the medical process because they are the ones left with instructions about what to do if the situation becomes grave. Learning to work with families is important from both logistical and emotional perspectives. For example, you want to ensure that you’re taking instructions from the correct person legally, and you also need to navigate these situations tenderly. Immediately suggesting that you don’t believe a family member, for example, instead of just saying that you’ll check the paperwork can have a sour effect.
Your patients’ religious beliefs may preclude them from or encourage them into taking certain steps that you personally disagree with. However, you must remember the importance that many individuals place on religion and spirituality when making decisions. According to the Adventist University of Health Sciences, “90% of patients strongly believe that spirituality is as important as physical health.” Getting to know how patients might use their religious or spiritual beliefs in medical decisions helps you to become more open to the possibilities and to know what to expect. Keep in mind that trying to sway people away from their religious or spiritual beliefs is inappropriate.
Some individuals have ethical beliefs that arise from their religious points of view, but that is certainly not always the case. People’s ethics can arise from a host of places, such as their families and their own personal convictions. Patients may have ethics that prevent them from engaging in certain medical practices. For example, they may not want to use any type of treatment or medication that has been tested on animals. Trying to veer people away from their ethical beliefs is likely to lead to a breakdown in rapport between you and the patients.
Developing respect for patients is necessary when you want to have a successful practice or career. Knowing the areas where you might disagree with patients can help you to be better prepared.