Empathy

    Empathy is defined as the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner.
    Empathy comes in pretty handy in a dental office.  While some patients are happy to tell you how much they hate being there, that you're the last person on earth that they want to see, or that they'd rather be showing up for electroshock therapy rather than what you're planning to do, there are those that are tough nuts to crack.  They come in with an attitude and you don't know if they are just plain miserable people, if they ran over their dog on their way to the appointment or if they just escaped from some kind of institution.  They are acting strangely, and you have to figure out what it all means.  Empathy can help you do that.  When you try to put yourself in their place and feel what it's like to be them, they sense it and start to give a little.  It's like the old Indian saying, "Don't judge someone until you've walked a mile in his moccasins."  That is a saying, isn't it?  If it's not, just ignore that.  Anyway, you know what I mean. 
    An empathetic staff member can make your life so much easier.  While you're concentrating on prepping a tooth she'll be suctioning and passing instruments, all while keeping her eye on the patient's reactions and responses.  She'll notice the white knuckles and the drawn up knees.  She'll give the pat on the shoulder during the injection and squeeze the hand during the extraction.  She'll let you know if you need to slow down and give a little more anesthetic. 
    Empathy goes a long way when staff members show a little to each other.  It does a lot to circumvent jealousy or resentment.  Being able to understand that a co-worker may be dealing with a problem that no one else knows about will bring a more forgiving response than you might get from someone who just can't see that the other person's actions may have nothing to do with them.  If you're the dentist and you're in a bad mood, she may just let it slide and make you a cup of tea rather than walk around nursing hurt feelings. 
    So, who can't use a little empathy?  We all have our bad days, down days, dog days and one of those days.  Maybe today will be your day to practice empathy.  Or maybe you'll need someone to show some to you.  Either way, we're all in it together.  Empathize that.

Comments

[Lisa]

I know I'm going to regret it when you run out of the alphabet, Linda! I've been thinking of an 'F' word- "Forgiveness" lately, and your empathy entry today reminded me of it. Team members, as well as their doctors, that can move beyond past slights, hurts, and misunderstandings, are likely a pretty healthy group.
Lisa

[Linda Zdanowicz]

Lisa, as always, words of wisdom from you. Forgiveness is really a key to a happy life as there will always be hurts and slights along the way.
Linda