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This is the 2nd National Whole Person Care Symposium – we are 'back by popular demand' following the overwhelming success of our Inaugural event in October, 2009.
The focus of the Symposium will be the issue of uncertainty in Medicine, and how clinicians can become more competent at reducing uncertainty, and being more comfortable in addressing it. Uncertainty is inherent in health care, and for many clinicians, uncertainty is a necessary evil. However, we propose that uncertainty should be embraced because of the opportunity it provides clinicians and patients to engage on more profound levels, and to reflect on alternative possibilities. We believe that addressing uncertainty is a necessary skill for effective care of patients, and for self-care, as clinicians. In a world of increasing medical knowledge, capabilities and expectations, the issue of uncertainty is rarely discussed.
We will use a mix of experiential activities, interactive sessions, planning and panel discussions to explore how venturing into the territory of uncertainty affects how we do our work, and how we share the space of the clinical encounter with our patients. Our focus includes, but is much broader than, palliative and end - of - life care. We are interested in exploring both the functional and dysfunctional, but particularly in giving participants the gift of some time together to reflect, have conversations about their work and their experience, and maybe discover some new ways to think about and approach what we do.
Dr Judith Lacey & Prof John Kearsley
Co-Convenors
Lions Club of Kogarah Inc - Healing Narrative Award:
Medicine has grown significantly in its ability to diagnose and to treat biologic disease. Doctors and other health care professionals can be proud of their ability to eradicate once - fatal infections, prevent heart attacks, cure childhood leukaemias and transplant failing organs. However, impressive technologic progress may sometimes distract us from engaging empathically with those who suffer, and to join honestly and courageously with the patients in their struggles towards recovery, with chronic illness, or in facing death. Scientifically-competent medicine and health care alone cannot help a patient grapple with the loss of health and find meaning in illness and dying. Along with their growing clinical skills and knowledge, doctors, nurses and allied health professionals need the expertise to listen to their patients, to understand as best they can the ordeals of illness, to honour the meanings of their patients' narratives of illness and to be moved by what they behold to act on their patients' behalf.
It is on this background that the Lions Club of Kogarah has created an annual cash prize for a nurse or an allied health professional to write an essay of up to 2,500 words. The essay should highlight the importance of listening to the stories that patients need to tell, to the interpretations of these stories, and the insights which may arise from particular narratives.
Name: Kogarah Lions Healing Narrative Award
Amount: $1,000.00 yearly
Purpose: to write a reflective essay about a patient with cancer which highlights the therapeutic benefit of presence, and listening to a patient's story or narrative.
Format: an essay of 1,000 – 2,500 words.
Date: the essay is to be submitted by the final day of January each year. The assessment is to be conducted by a panel of clinicians with Professor Kearsley as Chairman.
Presentation: The successful applicant will present his/her essay at the Healing Narrative session of the 2nd Whole Person Care Symposium to be held on the evening of 21 March 2012. At this time he/she will be presented with a certificate and the cheque ($1,000).
Further Details:
To submit an essay, or for further information, please email Professor John Kearsley (john.kearsley@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au)
The KOGARAH LIONS CLUB HEALING NARRATIVE ESSAY may address the following points:
- Who was the person of the "patient"?
- Give a brief overview of the patient's story.
- What issues were particularly important to the patient?
- Did you have a sense that the patient was suffering? How expressed?
- Describe how the patient was affected by the impact of illness and hospitalisation.
- What aspects of the patient really affected you? (one aspect especially)
- How did you feel talking to the patient, and then at the end of your conversation with the patient?
- What effect do you sense that you had on the patient?
- Were there any things that were difficult for you during your discussion with your patient?
- What aspects of communication, both verbal and non-verbal, did you find helpful during your discussion with the patient?
Applications close 31 January 2012 |
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