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This blog post was first published at http://intensivecarehotline.com a resource and support blog for Families who have a loved one critically ill in Intensive Care
It’s very easy to lose sight of your own beliefs and your own values whilst your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care. The sheer overwhelm and stress of the situation that you, your Family and your critically ill loved one are in, makes it easy for other people to talk at you and over you and you might feel that health professionals in Intensive Care are not necessarily entering into a dialogue, whilst your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care.
The fear of the unknown and the frustrations you are dealing with, whilst your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care makes it very easy for you and for your family to be the victim of other people’s agenda. What’s the hospital’s agenda for your critically ill loved one? What’s the Intensive Care team’s outlook on your loved one’s prognosis? Are they taking “the glass is half full” or “the glass is half empty” approach? It’s certainly a question you need to ask yourself so that you, your Family and your critically ill loved can then make sure that your values and your beliefs are as equally important as the Intensive Care team’s point of view.
You can also read a previous blog post about “What the doctors and the nurses behaviour in Intensive Care is telling you about the culture in a unit”. Here is the link to the post http://intensivecarehotline.com/what-the-doctors-and-the-nurses-behaviour-in-intensive-care-is-telling-you-about-the-culture-in-a-unit/
It’s therefore absolutely critical that you position yourself well mentally, whilst your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care so that irrespective of the difficulty of the situation, your values and your beliefs are known to the Intensive Care team. Taking a strong position on your values and beliefs makes you, your Family and your critically ill loved one less vulnerable.
And don’t be afraid of speaking up. I see Families in Intensive Care very often being intimidated by the “perceived power” of the doctors and the nurses in Intensive Care and Families therefore don’t question. It’s a big mistake and it holds you and your family back from getting what you want. Don’t think that just because you are dealing with doctors and nurses in Intensive Care, that you, your Family and your critically ill loved one are at the mercy of the health professionals. Your values and beliefs are just as equally important as the treatment your critically ill loved one is receiving.
Sometimes, the situation you are presented with is not black and white and the Intensive Care team might suggest one thing and you and your Family want something else. In fact, your values and your beliefs might be contrary to the traditional medical approach of the Intensive Care team. Don’t worry about it. 99% in life you can’t control, but take control of the 1% and you are powerful.
Again, don’t be intimidated by the “perceived power” of the health professionals in Intensive Care and speak up! You will be glad that you did!
What are your thoughts? Leave your comments and questions below! And if you haven’t downloaded your instant impact report, do so now by entering your email and you can improve your situation immediately!
This is Patrik Hutzel from Intensive Care Hotline and I’ll see you again with another update next week!
Sincerely your Friend
Patrik Hutzel