Study Hardly Humanity in the Hospital

Study reveals bad mood in hospitals

09/10/2013

Bad mood in the hospital? As a study on behalf of the foundation "humor helps to cure" shows, both patients and doctors and nurses in the hospital are apparently quite dissatisfied with their existence. However, this condition is detrimental to patient recovery and worker motivation. Even small changes could have a big effect.

Overburdened doctors and helpless patients
Physicians who feel overwhelmed, caregivers who want more recognition for their work, and patients who just feel like they are „number“ feel: In hospitals, overall, a rather gloomy mood seems to prevail - which, however, could be changed quickly with a few small steps. This is the result of a depth psychology study by the Cologne market research institute „Rheingold“ The "Humor helps heal" foundation commissioned by the cabaret artist and doctor Eckart von Hirschhausen.

Lack of interpersonal relationships
Hirschhausen and the psychologists of the institute conducted two-hour one-to-one interviews in the period from autumn 2012 to June 2013, each with 40 patients, doctors and nurses from university clinics, denominational or private institutions, in which the day-to-day work or stay in the clinic, and difficulties possible solutions were discussed. The intensive discussions revealed that all three groups lack interpersonal encounters in everyday clinical practice - this would often lead to negative feelings, stress or insecurity, both on the part of the staff and the patients. These would, according to the study often helpless and as „number“ Feeling left alone is a big problem, because according to Eckart von Hirschhausen, recovery depends to a large extent on interpersonal aspects: „Recovery can not be completely delegated to an apparatus medicine. It crucially depends on whether the patient feels well cared for: as part of a higher principle that carries and heals him“, so the physician in the study report.

Clinical routine is often characterized by pressure and stress
The desire for more interhumanity show, according to the researchers of Rheingold, that „Doctors, nurses, and patients [.] Are much more interwoven (than) each other
Group that makes it clear.“ But humanity often gets lost quickly in everyday hospital life. Especially doctors would have the high according to the study „Claim to be able to actually perform miracles“, At the same time, however, they are constantly confronted with bureaucracy, time pressure and setbacks in their daily work. As a result, this leads to blunting, the relationship with the patients as far as possible kept at a distance. So it was "easier to get hard in the clinic, than to stay human," says a physician describing the situation in conversation with Rheingold.

Nurses criticize time pressure and lack of appreciation
However, there is not only dissatisfaction among the doctors - according to the study, the nurses would also be under time pressure, but they would also suffer from a lack of recognition and appreciation of their work. The problem should not be underestimated, warns Rheingold founder and study director Stephan Grünewald, because „the hospital eats up its own staff. "More and more doctors and nurses would therefore turn their backs on the hospital's dissatisfaction and discomfort - in order to start their own practice or to reorient themselves professionally.

Interhumanity has enormous healing potential
For Eckart von Hirschhausen, the study clearly shows that interpersonal relationships are far too short in everyday clinical practice - even though they have enormous healing potential. „But it always suffers from stress and lack of time and below, that no one breathes“, so the cabaret artist.

Doctors and nurses feel in „fate mill“ captured
Therefore, there is an urgent need for action here: „Our hospital study rouses because it becomes clear that not only the patients, but equally doctors and nurses feel as if they are trapped in a mill of fate. First and foremost, communication suffers from the stress and the direct warm-hearted contact, which is so important that everyone feels comfortable and can do a good job. It is high time, healing factors such as mood and „soul hygiene“ to be taken as seriously in the hospital as the disinfection. Because laughter is contagious and healthy“, so the appeal of the physician and founder of the foundation "humor helps heal".

Eleven recommendations for the hospital of the future
For the concrete implementation Hirschhausen and the psychologists of Rheingold after the discussions „11 recommendations for the hospital of the future“ to help doctors, carers and patients return to a harmonious relationship. These include, for example, that „To turn patients back from case to person“ or that more „Time to breathe“ is created, because „The central healing principle for the doctors is the pressure reduction in the fate fight. They need rooms for retreat and rooms that allow them to pause and informally exchange with their colleagues“, so the study report. Of course, humor should not be underestimated by psychologists, as it would positively influence the mood in the clinic and contribute to the healing success, the researchers continue. (No)