How much does a comatose patient respond to human interaction? For patients who cannot communicate for whatever reason, do we really know how much they see, hear, feel, perceive?
In your hospital or nursing home there are so many patients who are unable to let us know their needs, but they have needs,nonetheless.
If your hospital or nursing home is driven by wellness, this population should be the most fortunate recipients of your care. Even though they are not able to respond to interactions, they know when they are receiving warmth and comfort.
The brain knows for that moment whether or not the patient has memory of it or reacts. The brain knows.
Do you work on a wing where many of the patients are long forgotten by their families and friends? It's a sad predicament. Does your wellness driven workforce see this as a depressing part of their jobs or an opportunity to deliver wellness valued health care to strangers who may remain strangers due to their cognitive impairment? They don't have to be strangers.
For patients who cannot respond, can't complain, or say thank you, are they treated differently? Do they receive the same quality care by every member of your health care team?
For some, the definition of wellness is taking care of health in a preventive manner. Most of the public believes wellness is eating properly and squeezing an exercise program into the day. It's a chore that you need to fake a smile with while you are doing it.
To others wellness is understanding the value of the mind and body in sustaining life in all persons who are alive.
How can you convey this outlook to your hospital or nursing home team? For the institution that has a strong employee wellness program, not only do the workers and their families benefit, but so do the patients. For the patients who are unable to respond, they too receive the benefits of this wellness mind-set.
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