You have plenty of experience in the field of medicine and healing. You know the ins and outs, the ups and downs--and even though your patients trust you, they just can't see eye-to-eye with you on cardiac rehab, simply because they don't have the same specialized knowledge that you do. Bridging the gap between what you know and what your patients know is important, but sometimes it can be difficult when you're so focused on the healing process itself. That's why it's helpful to take a moment to review cardiac rehab from a patient's perspective.
Perspectives on Healing
You see healing in an entirely different way than your patients do, because you've seen the healing process work countless times. You've probably run into plenty of patients who have trouble trusting that the healing process would take its course and cardiac rehab would work for them. That's where a little bit of perspective comes in handy. While you're focused on the technicalities, your patients are generally focused on the small-scale specifics, especially pain--and as you've seen, they appreciate it when you take some time to understand their perspective. Once you've done that, it's much easier to get them to see things from your point of view, and suddenly you each share the other's perspective on healing.
What Patients Want to Hear
Cardiac rehab isn't always easy, and it's certainly not always a speedy process. You know that, and so do your patients--but the difference is that you've seen healing actually work, while to them it can seem like they'll never be healed. Here's a quick refresher on the keystones of a patient's perspective, so that each of you can understand the other's needs.
- Timeline. Patients appreciate having a time line for cardiac rehab. At this point, it's best to cater the timeline to each patient's unique needs and desires, to prove that you understand their perspective and know how to ease their concerns. For example, some patients might appreciate a series of "healing goals," like being able to lift certain amounts of weight. Just remember that patients always appreciate knowing when each thing is supposed to happen!
- Pain medication. You know that patients are often focused on overcoming pain. Taking all the necessary time to explain pain medications--like dosage, timing of each dose, keeping to a schedule, and safety tips for storing and using medications--can help your patients feel more comfortable with the whole process.
- Sternum support. One of the most important parts of cardiac rehab is trustworthy sternum support. Heart Hugger is a unique support device used to protect the wound and allow patients to move with confidence. It comes with handles to provide superior support, straps for precise adjustment and is latex-free.
Looking for more ways to embrace patient perspectives? Interested in more information on sternum support for cardiac rehab? Contact us today!