We must acknowledge medical belief systems.
As explained previously, we all walk on this earth with perception filters on.
These mental shortcuts help us to make sense of the complexity of reality.
We can’t avoid this unconscious bias, that might cause trouble in the communication with our patients and their parents.
The reasons for trouble are:
- We remain unaware of each others, belief system (it doesn’t become a topic)
- We might have significant overlap in our belief systems (less of a problem)
- We might significantly differ in our belief systems (more of a problem)
When we remain unaware of the belief system
This is actually the most frequent form of our communication.
We do not constantly check, if the recipient of the communication sees the world in the same way that we do.
We just assume that there is sufficient overlap so that our words have a similar meaning to them as they do to us.
As healthcare provider, we would need to hear what they think and what makes them behave in the way they do.
Only when we have established a connected and respectful interaction, they will be willing to share potentially diverging belief systems.
And as I have pointed out previously, this is not automatically the case.
When our belief systems align
When the assumptions of the family members are factual correct, we can grant professional approval.
This gives our partner in the communication process an increased status and therefore helps to build trust and respect.
Here, it is easy to acknowledge medical belief systems.
When our belief systems not align
Even so, we must acknowledge medical belief systems.
Especially, when our patients and their parents’ assumptions are wrong. In this case, we need to rectify the errors.
Otherwise, we would risk jeopardising the positive results.
Here we are in a pickle. Nobody likes to hear that they are mistaken.
What is cognitive dissonance?
Cognitive dissonance is when facts and beliefs clash. This is painful.
Unfortunately, we need to contradict wrong assumptions and false belief systems.
The reason for this is, that we have to educate them a bit about their specific medical needs.
This medical-education is, at least in my mind, part of our job.
This is a delicate business.
W have only a chance to adjust the patient/ parent’s assumptions and to maintain the trust is, when we have invested in the first two steps of the approach:
- when we have connected
- and when we have established mutual respect
Only then we can start to discuss and to counter (medical) belief systems.
What can we say?
We must acknowledge medical belief systems.
There is a difference in acknowledgement and agreement.
We can say, “I see where your opinion comes from”, without agreeing with their point of view.
We need to be aware that the patient and parent are trying to make sense of an emotionally challenging period.
They are looking for solutions, even if their own conclusions are wrong.
In a nutshell:
We must acknowledge medical belief systems, and in a conversation, where we are connected, and mutual respect is established, we might need to rectify wrong assumptions.
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