Bioethics Discussion Blog: Should Doctors Cry? (3)

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Sunday, March 06, 2005

Should Doctors Cry? (3)

No. Doctors may shed one tear as part of the empathetic understanding of the patient's situation. But frank crying represents true sympathy and sympathy is not a therapeutic behavior for a physician towards a patient.

Read this poem by George Elliot, the English novelist, titled "Empathy" detailing a relationship which could represent what a patient sees in an empathetic physician.

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible
Comfort of feeling safe with a person,
Having neither to weight thoughts,
Nor measure words--but pouring them
All right out--just as they are
Chaff and grain together,
Certain that a faithful hand will
Take and sift them,
Keep what is worth keeping,
And with the breath of kindness
Blow the rest away.

..Maurice.

posted by Maurice Bernstein, M.D. @ 10:38:00 PM   0 comments

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