AMBER: “I have such a cool job! It’s challenging, frustrating, exciting, even thrilling at times. It’s really satisfying to me to explore the ‘why’ behind patient decisions. If I can understand their why, I can often shift my perspective, allowing me to understand their decision, even if it differs from what I value or believe.”
EMILY: “We work with complex cases that involve patients from all walks of life. Regardless of what brought them through our doors, people are worth our time. People are worthy of our care. When a patient faces a life changing situation, even if the outcome is not great, we can still know that we did our best even if it feels extremely imperfect.”
When our interaction with the medical system consists of a yearly check up, maybe a few labs, or skipping preventive care altogether, it can be easy to adopt an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ philosophy about the world or medicine. Indeed, doctors, nurses, clinics and hospitals can seem a world away when we feel healthy; not unlike how a country that’s half a world away, may seem alien compared to our own. But, unlike the country that will likely remain optional to visit, chances are at some point in our lives we will have to interact with the healthcare system either because we need care or our family members or friends need care.
Enter Amber Allen and Emily Leuthold, both nurses turned clinical ethicists who help patients, families and healthcare professionals navigate the complex and sometimes agonizingly painful questions that often come in all shapes and sizes with healthcare challenges.
As I talked with Amber and Emily in preparation for this episode, it became abundantly clear that many decisions in medicine are highly emotional and complicated with no ideal answer that 100% pleases everyone involved. However, what can be created is a conversation where everyone feels heard and where ethical principles and frameworks are considered as an imperfect best decision is reached.
I don’t know about you, but when emotions run high, I want perfection. This conversation should be very illuminating.
If you’ve ever been curious about what it’s like to work in this intensely challenging and rewarding field, had questions about morals vs. medical ethics, wanted to know the difference between palliative care and hospice, or to learn about advance care planning, this episode is for you.
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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest
**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com
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