Abstract
Quality care for the patient is the source of vocational satisfaction and also a measure of physician well-being. Both are impacted positively by the spiritual life of physicians which contributes significantly to resiliency in the midst of current stresses in medical care. Additionally, a majority of patients identify spiritually integrated care as desirable in their physician's treatment. The author examines qualities of vulnerability, humility and compassion integral to the person of the physician who offers quality care to patients and which is prophylactic to higher risk of suicide among medical practitioners compared to other professionals.
Highlights
Quality care for the patient is the source of vocational satisfaction and a measure of physician well-being
The author examines qualities of vulnerability, humility and compassion integral to the person of the physician who offers quality care to patients and which is prophylactic to higher risk of suicide among medical practitioners compared to other professionals
Going unnoticed and untended over time, the gradual loss of meaning and betrayal of the personal nature of the healing vocation in the corporatizing of medical care is giving rise to the spiritual pain inherent to a loss of vocational satisfaction that comes from being able to care for patients
Summary
By focusing purely on the symptoms of the physical body or psychiatric symptoms apart from the full person of the patient, which includes the larger spiritual dimension, the more comprehensive etiology behind of the identifying symptoms is missed. Even 50% of those who stated spirituality was not important, still said they wanted their physician to be sensitive to their spiritual needs and integrate this into their care [14]. How can this be done if spiritual health is not a central organizing factor in the life of the physician, practically and theoretically shaping how he or she sees the world and views the patient in the larger context of spiritual meaning? This is even more critical for physicians who are often isolated and attempt to treat themselves rather than trust another physician to care for them, let alone seek out a spiritual physician for their own souls. Finding spiritual healing for the physician’s own soul is essential for resilience and well-being, but an essential ingredient in the healing partnership
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