You might think that the stress of family responsibilities and relationships could cause problems for a patient trying to recover from illness, but it’s actually the opposite. In my experience, patients with families and responsibilities improve faster than those without. It’s not just a benefit, but the sense of urgency that someone is needed at home can drive a patient to push and fight harder to survive. It’s an incredible thing to watch, and I have witnessed the transformation in my patients many times. That is why it’s vitally important to celebrate families, relationships, and responsibilities.
In fact, families and responsibilities are a critical part of the healthcare organization’s support system. I have seen entire departments crumble because a key leader was going through a divorce. We think that there is a clear dividing line between work and personal life, but in reality, even stoic, private people see their work affected by family issues or the death of a beloved pet. And on the flip side, when coworkers value your family relationships and celebrate the birth of a new family member, it transforms the workplace to a highly effective team.
Allowing employees to be human beings instead of cogs in a healthcare machine helps them treat patients like human beings. If we don’t care about our own families, then no one is important enough to care about. And when our personal lives are dehumanized, we have a tendency to treat others with less dignity.
By Gayle Porter
