LOST CONNECTIONS

My first placement as a bright-eyed first year medical student was in a nursing home. One day the senior nurse asked if I could help another nurse dispense lunchtime medications to the residents and of course I agreed. “Wonderful,” she said, “That frees me up to do some actual nursing.” She pulled up a chair facing one of the residents, took her hand and began a warm and attentive chat. I still remember the woman’s face lighting up.

In the years of medical practice since, I’ve come to understand what she meant. Many doctors know that connecting with our patients is often much more powerful than prescribing a medication or making a diagnosis. What is