Spent time today interviewing patients and families to assess their requirements of good care and caring. The secret to productive probing is setting the tone with quick rapport, especially when as in one case, the family was on their death watch of their father. With skill, humor is very possible and often welcome as people pray for relief from the acuity of grief and exhaustion of the long hours.
What's interesting is that people are very clear on what they translate as the requirements of care and caring. Number one on everyone's list is information. Nothing is more important than people knowing what's happening and why, who you are and what's planned. Knowledge reduces the dark shadows of the unknown. Also at the top of the list is the presence of joy that care-givers bring to reduce the cold shadows of aloneness that accompanies people's fears.
