The philosophical reason for healthcare provision in the US has managed to reflect the old Cartesian perspective, which lies in the body’s background being seen as a machine and medical treatment only as warranted repair work. It often happens that thinking is narrowed down. Consequently, it may fail to embrace the inherent wholeness of a treatment since it does not incorporate emotional, mental, and social aspects in the therapeutic process (Scott et al., 2009). Consequently, integrating ethical principles into clinical practice enhances patient care, thus improving empathy, integrity, and empathy in discussions about death, end of life, the event of adverse events, and disclosure of errors which are very common among new patients.
Cartesian reductionism, stemming from the philosophy of Renee Descartes, assumes the human body to be a complicated mechanism with physical rules at work. This mechanism rearranged patients into parts that should be repaired without attention to their unique lived experiences, their uniqueness, and emotions (Scott et al., 2009). This divisionist view has prevailed for ages in medical education and has created healthcare providers’ approach toward patients through the years.
On the contrary, the maturation of Cartesian reductionism has led to the willingness to think holistically towards a healthy and healing comprehension as well. This transition embraces the bonding of mind, body, and soul, which acknowledges that the bodily symptoms and the mental and social components of well-care contribute to the treatment (Scott et al., 2009). Incorporating philosophical principles into the clinical practice enables healthcare providers to truly adopt the holistic approach, which they, in turn, use to help patients restore their health and general well-being.
The main clinician competencies are self-confidence, emotional self-management, and mindfulness. Clinical knowledge and values are crucial in promoting healing relationships and helping patients through tough conversations. Self-confidence is a fundamental skill set for a healthcare provider to deal with a host of challenges with surety and aptitude. By projecting confident self-assessment of their decisions and capabilities, doctors can instill trust and reassure therapeutic patients facing distress or uncertainty (Scott et al., 2009). Such self-belief generates a therapy-intensive environment that supports recovery; therefore, the patients get the necessary strength to participate actively in care and recovery.
The ability to control emotional self-reactions is an important aspect of the mental health field, as clinicians often encounter emotionally heavy topics while conversing with their patients. By calm and empathy, healthcare providers can calm patients down and take care of them while managing their emotional responses (Scott et al., 2009). This skill builds on the ability to act professionally and stay empathetic always, even in stressful environments, and leads to the development of trust between doctor and patient.
Mindfulness, being focused on the current moment, enables healthcare professionals to witness their patients during conversations related to problematic occasions. Through practicing mindfulness techniques, clinicians could improve their awareness and empathy, their ability to be more attentive and understanding, and to approach the patient’s problems and concerns with an open mindset and without judgment (Scott et al., 2009). This profoundness of being draws one into authentic interactions and appreciation, building the platform for open dialogue and emotional support in trying times.
Practical knowledge provides healthcare providers with information that contributes to optimizing health, solves complicated medical problems, and allows them to communicate effectively with patients. Staying abreast of new medical methodologies and treatment approaches can guarantee the flow of knowledge to enable patients to make decisions that are informed (Scott et al., 2009). This increases the patient’s sense of autonomy and promotes the healthcare provider’s accountability, thus leading to a partnership approach to care that considers what the patient as an individual values and prefers.
Appreciation is a core aspect of valuing, which is nurtured by respecting patient’s experiences, perspectives, and values. By showing authentic love and feeling the patient’s emotions, clinicians can regard patients’ emotions and concerns as legitimate and open the way for dialogue and discussion. The establishment of trust and respect is the basis of a good client-practitioner relationship that will instill a sense of well-being among patients.
Healthcare providers can use these abilities to demonstrate sympathy, sincerity, and inhumanity in difficult conversations. Clinicians can tackle delicate health issues through philosophical components infused in clinical practice with genuineness, empathy, and understanding, developing prominent relationships and promoting complete healing for patients and families (Scott et al., 2009). Through repeated reflections and practices, healthcare professionals can improve on these competencies until they become so natural that patient-oriented and compassionate care becomes their only culture. Communication is as significant as any other psychomotor competency; it is also a major skill clinicians use to sensitize patients about unpleasant topics. Verbal communication that is reflective of emotional openness and compassion can serve as a link between a clinician and a patient, which helps the interaction be smooth and productive. Active listening, empathy, and nonverbal communication tools will become the main attributes of a proficient counselor in building relationships of trust and comfort, where there will be no doubt that patients are attentively listened to and admired. By becoming more competent in their communication, healthcare providers can create meaning in their dialogue with patients, address their requests, and, together with the patient treatment plan, which improves patient satisfaction and better results.
Reference
Scott, J. G., Scott, R. G., Miller, W. L., Stange, K. C., & Crabtree, B. F. (2009). Healing relationships and the existential philosophy of Martin Buber. Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine, 4(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/1747-5341-4-11
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