Community patient visit an insight into living with a disability
Gary Hart (left) and Annie Tweedle (right) with Monash University medical students from left, Grace Vittor, Dorcas Lim, Bonnie Morison, Liying Chen, Rachel Elliott, Margaret Young, Ben Bentzen and Daman Tjibaenyana.
With more than a little help from local people with limited sight or Muscular Sclerosis, Monash University medical students based in Warragul learned a lot from the first of their community patient visits recently.
The students, who are undertaking their studies with the Gippsland Regional Clinical School this year, met up with patients at Vision Australia in Warragul.
The visit was organised by Gippsland Regional Clinical School community representative Mavis Gallienne and gave the students the chance to talk with patients in a relaxed atmosphere. Two local people, Gary Hart and Annie Tweedle, gave of their time to speak with the students on a wide range of topics beyond the physical condition.
The aim of the visit is to help medical students consider and understand some of the social, economic and psychological issues which face patients and also how to discuss with a patient, in a sensitive way, personal feelings about the diagnosis of a chronic disabling illness.
They were also exposed to the impact on a patient’s social, emotional and physical well being, while also discussing treatments available for MS, the cost of treatment and the economic impact on individuals with MS.
As well as taking a focused history on the patient, the students were encouraged to display empathy and, as a follow up activity, completed a written reflection on three skills that worked well in communicating with patient and three ways to improve their communication with patients. On the day after the visit, the group took part in a follow up session based on a clinical presentation of a patient with MS.
It was an extremely useful session for all involved and the students were very grateful for the time they spent with Gary and Annie, the organisation by Mavis Gallienne and the chance to meet and discuss issues with MS Society Nurse for Gippsland, Robert Slade.