Adapting to Communication With a Patient Life Threatening Illness, Essay Example

Communication has remained a serious challenge among majority of the clinicians who work with the life-threatening illnesses patients as well as end of life patients. Adaptation to such situations demand for overcoming psychological responses that are associated with hopelessness, powerlessness as well as helplessness. It is however sometimes difficult to understand the response of the terminally ill patient to their illness and it is common to react defensively (Munday, Dale, & Murray, 2007).  As an important part of adaptation, it is important to familiarize with their experience which is a step towards adapting to their condition of illness. The terminally ill patients may tend to communicate in the context of the illness that they suffer. It is therefore prudent to avoid a situation that may be perceived as being insensitive to their condition.

The response of the patient to the illness is identical to a situation of coping with a life event that is particularly stressful. The patient sometimes develops a unique lifestyle that facilitate for dealing with their current situation (Gomes, B, & Higginson, I. J., (2008). An example of this situation is a patient suffering cancer in its advanced stages. The daily life of the patient is marked by severe pain and the chances of recovery are minimal. This lifestyle of such a patient that is marked with dealing with severe pain may be a source of challenge in effective communication with the clinician. The theme of communication should be related to the care goals of the patient. Discussion on the goals have a close connection with enhanced quality of life, cost reduction, constructive family outcomes as well as reduction of medical care that is non-beneficial to the patient (Munday, Dale, & Murray, 2007). Communication on life threatening illness with the patient is unlikely is likely to increase the level of distress in the patient. It is important to avoid repeated addressing of the non-medical goals of the patient suffering from a life threatening illness.

References

Gomes, B, & Higginson, I. J., (2008). Where people die (1974–2030): past trends, future projections and implications Palliat Med. Jan;22(1):33-41.

Munday, D., Dale, J., & Murray, S., (2007) Choice and place of death: individual preferences, uncertainty, and the availability of care. J R Soc Med. May;100(5):211-5.