I'd like to thank you for publishing "Listen to Your Patients' Stories" (October 2009).* This article discussed a form of communication that I now hold dear to my heart. I didn't realize the effect that listening to a patient's story could have until an experience I had while preparing a patient for surgery. I noticed that she was tearful and unable to concentrate on my questions. When I asked her if she was okay, she confided that she'd just lost her husband of 40 years and missed him terribly. She said she was scared. I gave her this time to express her feelings and held her hand. Once she'd composed herself, she hugged me and said, "Thank you for just listening. I needed that."
I now make a point in my practice to listen to my patients' stories. I challenge all nurses to ask themselves, Am I an active listener?
-LAKASHA WRIGHT, RN
New Bern, N.C.
* Individual subscribers can also access these articles free online at http://www.nursing2010.com. [Context Link]