- Email: [email protected]
It's the Little Things: Small Gestures in Patient Care, Big Impact
Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences
Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences 47 (2016) 298
Journal de l’imagerie médicale et des sciences de la radiation
www.elsevier.com/locate/jmir
Clinician Perspectives
It’s the Little Things: Small Gestures in Patient Care, Big Impact Natasha McMaster, RT(T)*, and Jennifer DeGiobbi, RT(T) Nova Scotia Cancer Center, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Radiation therapy is a field filled with rapidly advancing technology that allows us to treat patients more precisely and efficiently. While these changes are necessary and important, we need to remember that patients do not see all the behind the scenes advancements and technology. For them, it can be the smiling face that greets them in the waiting room, the warm blanket, the reassuring touch or words, and many other simple things that can make all the difference in their treatment experience. This may be especially true for those patients requiring an immobilization mask for treatment or for the pediatric population who may be too young to fully understand what treatment entails. The latter is what sparked the beginning of our mask decorating program. The concept of customizing and decorating masks is not new to the field by any meansdfor us, inspiration was taken from processes used in other clinics. It started small, a few details here and there, then the idea was brought forward to make a sample mask to show patients at the time of CT simulation. Then the requests started pouring in, and we have not looked back. What we have noted from the patient’s reactions and comments is that customizing the mask gives them something to look forward to when they come for treatment. It takes their mind off of what they are going through, and gives them a small sense of control over their treatment process. For the therapists, it is very rewarding to see the reactions of patients when they see their masks for the first time and to see what a difference such a small gesture can make. The following story truly reflects the power of ‘‘the little things.’’ A request was received to decorate a mask for a pediatric patient in the style of wrestler Rey Mysterio’s mask. When the patient arrived for treatment, they were thrilled with how it turned out and the patient’s family asked to take some photos of the patient in the mask. These photos were shared with family members, and one family member shared a photo on social media. This was then shared again and again, and the photo and story eventually reached the wrestler himself. Rey Mysterio then * Corresponding author : Natasha McMaster, RT(T), Nova Scotia Cancer Center, 106 Deepwood Cres, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3M 2Y6, Canada. E-mail address: [email protected] (N. McMaster).
reached out and contacted the patient directly, a dream come true for the patient. Rey then proceeded to send gifts to the patient, one of which being an actual wrestling mask to match the one we made for treatment. He made regular phone calls to check up on the patient during treatment, and has since continued to stay in touch with the patient to follow his progress. For the patient and their family, this was beyond what they could have expected and they have expressed such gratitude and stated what a difference this made in the treatment experience. While the above experience is not the norm, the overall feedback has been that this small gesture has appeared to have helped in reducing anxiety and stress related to treatment for patients and, in some cases, their families as well. It is something we are extremely proud of and hope to continue and expand on in the future. About the Authors Natasha McMaster MRT(T) is a Radiation Therapist at the Nova Scotia Cancer Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Natasha graduated from the University of Toronto/The Michener Institute in 2007 with a BSc in Radiation Therapy. Since then, she has worked as a Radiation Therapist in Halifax and is currently undertaking her Masters in Radiation Therapy through the University of Toronto. Natasha’s main interests lie in imaging, SBRT technique, and the pediatric patient population. Jennifer DeGiobbi MRT(T) is a Radiation Therapist at the Nova Scotia Cancer Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Jennifer graduated from Cape Breton University with a BSc (concentration in Biology) in 2005 and completed her education at the University of Toronto with a BSc in Medical Radiation Sciences and The Michener Institute with a diploma in Radiation Therapy in 2010. She began her career at the Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre where she worked for 2 years before moving back to her home province. Currently in Halifax, Jennifer is a team lead on a Linear Accelerator that specializes in Total Marrow Irradiation and has helped with its technique and policy development. Jennifer’s creativity, along with her desire to bring a smile to patient’s faces, was the driving force behind the collaborative effort in initiating the Pediatric Mask Design program at the Nova Scotia Cancer Centre.
1939-8654/$ - see front matterÓ 2016 Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmir.2016.10.005
Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences 47 (2016) 298
Journal de l’imagerie médicale et des sciences de la radiation
www.elsevier.com/locate/jmir
Clinician Perspectives
It’s the Little Things: Small Gestures in Patient Care, Big Impact Natasha McMaster, RT(T)*, and Jennifer DeGiobbi, RT(T) Nova Scotia Cancer Center, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Radiation therapy is a field filled with rapidly advancing technology that allows us to treat patients more precisely and efficiently. While these changes are necessary and important, we need to remember that patients do not see all the behind the scenes advancements and technology. For them, it can be the smiling face that greets them in the waiting room, the warm blanket, the reassuring touch or words, and many other simple things that can make all the difference in their treatment experience. This may be especially true for those patients requiring an immobilization mask for treatment or for the pediatric population who may be too young to fully understand what treatment entails. The latter is what sparked the beginning of our mask decorating program. The concept of customizing and decorating masks is not new to the field by any meansdfor us, inspiration was taken from processes used in other clinics. It started small, a few details here and there, then the idea was brought forward to make a sample mask to show patients at the time of CT simulation. Then the requests started pouring in, and we have not looked back. What we have noted from the patient’s reactions and comments is that customizing the mask gives them something to look forward to when they come for treatment. It takes their mind off of what they are going through, and gives them a small sense of control over their treatment process. For the therapists, it is very rewarding to see the reactions of patients when they see their masks for the first time and to see what a difference such a small gesture can make. The following story truly reflects the power of ‘‘the little things.’’ A request was received to decorate a mask for a pediatric patient in the style of wrestler Rey Mysterio’s mask. When the patient arrived for treatment, they were thrilled with how it turned out and the patient’s family asked to take some photos of the patient in the mask. These photos were shared with family members, and one family member shared a photo on social media. This was then shared again and again, and the photo and story eventually reached the wrestler himself. Rey Mysterio then * Corresponding author : Natasha McMaster, RT(T), Nova Scotia Cancer Center, 106 Deepwood Cres, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3M 2Y6, Canada. E-mail address: [email protected] (N. McMaster).
reached out and contacted the patient directly, a dream come true for the patient. Rey then proceeded to send gifts to the patient, one of which being an actual wrestling mask to match the one we made for treatment. He made regular phone calls to check up on the patient during treatment, and has since continued to stay in touch with the patient to follow his progress. For the patient and their family, this was beyond what they could have expected and they have expressed such gratitude and stated what a difference this made in the treatment experience. While the above experience is not the norm, the overall feedback has been that this small gesture has appeared to have helped in reducing anxiety and stress related to treatment for patients and, in some cases, their families as well. It is something we are extremely proud of and hope to continue and expand on in the future. About the Authors Natasha McMaster MRT(T) is a Radiation Therapist at the Nova Scotia Cancer Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Natasha graduated from the University of Toronto/The Michener Institute in 2007 with a BSc in Radiation Therapy. Since then, she has worked as a Radiation Therapist in Halifax and is currently undertaking her Masters in Radiation Therapy through the University of Toronto. Natasha’s main interests lie in imaging, SBRT technique, and the pediatric patient population. Jennifer DeGiobbi MRT(T) is a Radiation Therapist at the Nova Scotia Cancer Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Jennifer graduated from Cape Breton University with a BSc (concentration in Biology) in 2005 and completed her education at the University of Toronto with a BSc in Medical Radiation Sciences and The Michener Institute with a diploma in Radiation Therapy in 2010. She began her career at the Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre where she worked for 2 years before moving back to her home province. Currently in Halifax, Jennifer is a team lead on a Linear Accelerator that specializes in Total Marrow Irradiation and has helped with its technique and policy development. Jennifer’s creativity, along with her desire to bring a smile to patient’s faces, was the driving force behind the collaborative effort in initiating the Pediatric Mask Design program at the Nova Scotia Cancer Centre.
1939-8654/$ - see front matterÓ 2016 Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmir.2016.10.005