Continue to: This is not to diminish...
This is not to diminish the importance of mourning or belittle the experience of processing one’s emotions. It simply highlights the importance of self-care. Emotions need to be processed outside of the hustle and bustle of the work day. There are other patients who require and deserve their clinician’s undivided attention. To truly provide patients with the highest quality of care, I find caring for myself and processing my reactions to daily events to be essential. Writing down my thoughts or talking to loved ones are ways that help me process my experiences. Taking a trip out of town, going for a hike, or watching a movie also are ways to help create balance in an emotionally charged career. I hope to use my new understanding of the “first one” phenomenon as a reminder to maintain my own well-being. In doing so, I can be attuned to my patients’ needs and provide them with empathic care. Even though my outward expression may change as I learn to process these moments differently, I want to treat each patient with the same level of empathy, value, and compassion as my first one.