[Below is another terrific column suggested to the Journal by nurse Liz Wessel]
Listening Is Powerful Medicine
Listen
Now [5 min 6 sec]
“Listening to someone's story costs less than
expensive diagnostic testing but is key to healing and diagnosis.” – Alicia Conill, M.D.
Dr. Alicia Conill is a clinical associate professor at the
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. A native of Cuba, Conill also
directs a nonprofit that teaches patients and caregivers how to better cope with
chronic illness and disability.
Weekend Edition
Sunday, February 1, 2009 · I believe
listening is powerful medicine.
Studies have shown it takes a physician about 18 seconds to interrupt a
patient after he begins talking.
It was Sunday. I had one last patient to see. I approached her room in a
hurry and stood at the doorway. She was an older woman, sitting at the edge of
the bed, struggling to put socks on her swollen feet. I crossed the threshold,
spoke quickly to the nurse, scanned her chart noting she was in stable
condition. I was almost in the clear.
I leaned on the bedrail looking down at her. She asked if I could help put on
her socks. Instead, I launched into a monologue that went something like this:
"How are you feeling? Your sugars and blood pressure were high but they're
better today. The nurse mentioned you're anxious to see your son who's visiting
you today. It's nice to have family visit from far away. I bet you really look
forward to seeing him."
She stopped me with a stern, authoritative voice. "Sit down, doctor. This is
my story, not your story."
I was surprised and embarrassed. I sat down. I helped her with the socks. She
began to tell me that her only son lived around the corner from her, but she had
not seen him in five years. She believed that the stress of this contributed
greatly to her health problems. After hearing her story and putting on her
socks, I asked if there was anything else I could do for her. She shook her head
no and smiled. All she wanted me to do was to listen.
Each story is different. Some are detailed; others are vague. Some have a
beginning, middle and end. Others wander without a clear conclusion. Some are
true; others not. Yet all those things do not really matter. What matters to the
storyteller is that the story is heard — without interruption, assumption or
judgment.
Listening to someone's story costs less than expensive diagnostic testing but
is key to healing and diagnosis.
I often thought of what that woman taught me, and I reminded myself of the
importance of stopping, sitting down and truly listening. And, not long after,
in an unexpected twist, I became the patient, with a diagnosis of multiple
sclerosis at age 31. Now, 20 years later, I sit all the time — in a
wheelchair.
For as long as I could, I continued to see patients from my chair, but I had
to resign when my hands were affected. I still teach med students and other
health care professionals, but now from the perspective of physician and
patient.
I tell them I believe in the power of listening. I tell them I know firsthand
that immeasurable healing takes place within me when someone stops, sits down
and listens to my story.
Independently produced for Weekend Edition Sunday by Jay Allison
and Dan Gediman with John Gregory and Viki Merrick.
Journal of Sacred Work 
Leave a comment