A Judgment-Free Zone

Happy Monday, and welcome to Medical Mondays! I have a relatively short one today, but it’s on a topic that I think is extremely important, and something that I don’t feel is often addressed/stressed. Truth be told, I think this should be practiced everywhere, but especially in health care. It should be a judgment-free zone.

My mom works as a NICU nurse, and one of the things she’s always emphasized to me is that you should always, always be kind to others.

You don’t know what it is that’s going on in their life, and until you’ve truly lived their life, you cannot possibly know what it is that they’re dealing with. People can be exceptionally talented at hiding their problems.

I don’t know where this quote comes from (if anyone does, feel free to enlighten me), but I think it’s fitting:

Sometimes the strongest people are the ones who love beyond all faults, cry behind closed doors and fight battles that nobody knows about.”

No matter how much someone else’s beliefs or practices may clash with yours, it doesn’t give you reason to judge them.

I live in a fairly conservative area, and I’m not gonna lie, since I hail from the bay area in California, there have been times where I’ve felt extremely uncomfortable about certain statements I’ve overheard. As a general rule, I steer clear from voicing my beliefs on any controversial/political topics, because although that should have no bearing on the grade I receive, I know that it can definitely be a factor.

I’m working with one of my favorite preceptors thus far right now, and one of the things I like most about him is the fact that he’s so open-minded and nonjudgmental.

No matter what your thoughts and opinions are on a person’s living habits and practices, it should in no way ever affect the type of care that you provide to your patients.

Our job is to provide the best care we can, no matter what it is they believe in, or what it is that they’ve done.

Can that be difficult?

Of course it can! (But no one ever said it’d be easy.)

I am far from perfect, and over the past year, I’ve definitely gotten somewhat jaded whilst dealing with drug seekers who milk the welfare system and take away from the people who actually need it, but that should never, ever affect the way that I treat them.

Our job is to foster a welcoming and supportive environment where our patients feel comfortable with telling us about issues that may contribute to different health care conditions that we need to address. If we’re not doing this, we’ve already lost the battle.

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Disclaimer: This is where I reiterate that I am merely a medical student struggling through the world that is her clinical rotations. The statements made on this blog should not be taken as medical advice to treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please contact your own physician or health care provider before starting a health or fitness/wellness program. (See full disclaimer here.)