Meeting illness with empathy is a crucial principle that can be embedded in healthcare practice when approaching the treatment of patients. It entails the understanding and the identification of an emotional state of another person, which can have a positive influence on establishing significant interactions between patient and physicians. In order for healthcare providers to be empathic, they should convey the understanding of their patients’ mental state and observe the influences that could have contributed to such a state. One of the examples of approaching illness with empathy is to consider the alternative perspective on healthcare and scientific rigor to find what makes a patient feel his or her best (Campo 18). Language is used as a form of healing, with the approach dating back to Ancient Egyptians who gave their dead a book to guide them in the afterlife (Campo 32). Thus, healing can take the role of art, with such forms as poetry being used to transcend the traditional understanding of healing and treatment. Another example is the capacity to resolve the bio cultural approach to healing through poetry, allowing to provide a sense of relief and introspection not offered by traditional medicine (Campo 21). Campo’s work has had a tremendous impact on the understanding of poetry as a healing tool because the cases that the author described signified an overall positive reception of patients. The contribution of the author showed that poetry was essential in allowing to explore the inside experience of illness, enabling patients to be attentive to what they feel internally (Campo 25). Using poetry as a supportive tool may be helpful for physicians to approach illness with empathy by allowing their patients to reflect and heal emotionally.
Work Cited
Campo, Rafael. The Healing Art: A Doctor’s Black Bag of Poetry. W.W. Norton & Company, 2003.