Results
Title

The Ultimate Intrinsic Motivator in Medicine: Patient Perspectives on What It Means to Be Loved by the Healthcare Team.

Authors

Sams II, Richard W.; Kim, Dae Gun Chung; Dubey, Shresttha

Abstract

There is a compassion crisis in healthcare negatively impacting patient outcomes. Little is known about the relationship of love as a motivating factor in healthcare. Our research exploring physician and nurse perspectives on what it means to love their patients elucidated substantive themes. Here we report findings from an exploratory follow-up qualitative study exploring patient perspectives on what it means to be loved by the healthcare team. Through convenience sampling, we conducted 21 structured interviews of patients exiting a family medicine clinic. Nineteen of 21 patients unreservedly thought healthcare professionals should love their patients. Common themes emerged, which included being caring, trustworthy, empathetic, compassionate, conscientious, and demonstrating concern for the patient's well-being. The characteristics and actions that reflect love were remarkably consistent with those mentioned by physicians and nurses in our prior study. The nature of love described by patients, physicians and nurses could serve as a basis for high quality, compassionate, ethically sound healthcare.

Subjects

PATIENTS' attitudes; NURSES' attitudes; PHYSICIANS' attitudes; CONVENIENCE sampling (Statistics); MEDICAL personnel

Publication

Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics, 2024, Vol 14, Issue 3, p201

ISSN

2157-1732

Publication type

Academic Journal

DOI

10.1353/nib.2024.a947862