Patient Professionalism

When I feel down in the dumps, I do what any sane person first thinks to do: look up dog memes. There’s an inherent place dogs belong--right next to us. Dogs are man’s friend; there’s never a time or place when or where they don’t belong. So I thought I’d be part of something that brings dogs to the most inhospitable place known to man: the hospital.

At a hospital, the somberness of worry and tension clings to the brisk air. Every action is calculated and precise; every interaction is procedurally clinical. Rightfully so, as dependable medical care has gravitated towards concrete empiricism.

Yet unfortunately, this conduct of professionalism dehumanizes the very individuals healthcare practitioners intend to heal. Patients are confined to
My simple mantra “We have dogs from pet therapy for you; would you like to see them?” has always sparked life into sullen eyes. If only for a moment, I give these patients a chance to interact with that inherent love of dogs that I know all too well. More importantly, my “pack” has initiated meaningful conversations, connecting patients to the intimacy of genuine human interaction. It is so humbling to know the countless stories of the patients of Sharp Grossmont Hospital, from the kind lady who told me how she learned Vietnamese, to the nostalgic doctor who could not stop talking about his son’s love for baseball.

My greatest contribution is surely the fact that I broke down the plain white walls that confined patient and doctor alike from their human connection. A hospital’s job is to preserve the livelihood of its patients, but perhaps the time spent worried about human mortality has made these individuals lose sight of their very humanity. My canine pack, composed of Maxx, Buxton, and me, is about connecting all individuals in hospitals to the interaction that gives purpose to living. Dog memes and human interaction should be an inalienable right reserved for all people (and dogs).