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At the moment, I’m sitting and listening to the highly charged emotions of several people who have just learned that their elderly family member has died. It wasn’t a tragic event, but more of an unfortunate one. It’s something that will ultimately happen to each and every one of us and trust me, it’s something I try not to think about that often; even though I’m confronted with it each time I step foot into the department.
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And despite the best efforts of the talented doctors, nurses and techs I work with, this inevitable end point happens. I realize that this may come across a little callous, but these things aren’t fully occupying my mind right now. Rather, I’ve been thinking about the many changes that have occurred since I first started nursing a little over fourteen-years ago.
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One of the more prevalent changes I’ve noticed is that people are being kept alive for longer periods of time despite the myriad of health issues that affect them. This is due in large part to the advancements in drugs, medical devices, diagnostic techniques and surgical interventions. Yet such progress places people on a viscous cycle. One that allows them to live longer, but the very things that keep them functioning also causes them to become sicker which in turn requires greater use of medical technology and the need for more specialized care.
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As the health of these people decline, a growing demand is placed on the medical community to keep them alive. And whether it’s from the patient or more often the patient’s family, expectations exert a large part of this pressure. As you can probably imagine, the presence of covid-19 and the steps taken to protect everyone in the hospital has only added to this stress level.
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With rising health care costs and ever increasing demands, I feel an emphasis should be placed on preventative medicine. By this I mean living a healthier lifestyle through stress reduction, diet, exercise, smoking cessation, limited use of alcohol and drugs and balanced mental health. Easier said than done, don’t you think? Our busy lifestyle struggles to be compatible with such ideals. Then again, maybe one benefit of the pandemic is that it’s forced us to slow down, reorganize and reevaluate our lives.
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I also understand that the pandemic has created hardship for many people. While I’m fortunate to have employment, it shouldn’t preclude me, or anyone for that matter, of realizing how lucky we are to live in a nation that has so much to offer. I’m not saying that disparities don’t exist, but travel to a third world country and you’ll see the limited resources that its population has available to them, especially as it relates to healthcare.
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I’ve often wondered if we as a society have lost appreciation for what we have and all the advantages that are offered to us. And if by losing this gratitude, expectations have only blossomed. As a nurse and a paramedic, I’ve often been subjected to many unrealistic demands people have placed on myself and my coworkers. And yet, if you pay attention, you can witness similar expectations being forced upon workers from other industries as well.
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In the end we are the ones who are responsible for our own health and happiness. We are the ones who define that dash that exists between the beginning and the end points of our lives. A little kindness and patience goes a long way. If you’re fortunate, there will be a few people who will be a positive influence along your journey. There’s no reason why you can’t be the same for someone else on their journey too.
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I still believe the majority of us want to be in this together, let’s not be too close together while we’re all in it.