(originally published on www.hospitalimpact.org)
Mr. Roberts was in the hospital being prepped for an angiogram. When Sally (the hospital chaplain) met with Mr. Roberts, he shared that his wife had passed away two months earlier; he was struggling to cope and recently had a heart attack.
Sally was fully present and attentive to the patient; she was supportive and listened and empathized with Mr. Roberts' struggles, pain and fear. And she asked whether he had shared this information with his doctor, and learned he had not.
Shortly after this powerful sharing, Mr. Roberts' doctor walked in and Sally asked the patient if he wanted to share their discussion with the doctor. So Mr. Roberts proceeded to tell his doctor about his wife passing away, and his struggles and fear.
His doctor's response?
"Sorry to hear that Mr. Roberts. So, about your angiogram ... "
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