The Power of Listening
Some of the best medicine begins with talking and listening.
But in the rush of healthcare,
We forget about this essential practice.
Listening to our patients –
Truly hearing them –
We are pushing this away,
Lost in the turmoil.
We hear sorrows, doubts, and fears,
Yet too often, we don’t pause
And absorb the weight of their words.
Sometimes,
Just speaking can open their door to healing.
We see the mouth moving,
But in the chaos, we fail to listen –
To their concerns, their pain, their choices.
We forget the power of truly hearing.
Admit.
Treat.
Discharge.
It’s a cold system,
A processed cycle.
But sometimes,
Pills are not the only medicine.
Or the only solution.
Let the words flow.
Let the connection happen.
We are physically present,
But our minds are scattered,
Pulled in a hundred directions,
Not where the patient is.
And too often, it’s not by choice.
We need to use our eyes to see vulnerabilities,
Use our ears to hear their fears,
Our hands to touch their hearts.
In a world that demands so much of us,
We need space to listen and to care –
To be there for our patients.
When we create that safe, nonjudgmental space,
When they finally speak
And we listen with compassion,
We give them a voice in their care,
And we remind ourselves
Of why we do this work.
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