A question asked: A wish granted
It’s not “Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo!” but asking the question just might make wishes come true
Do you ever wish you had a fairy godmother, like Cinderella’s? When you don’t have a wand to wave, sometimes just asking the question can make a wish come true.
It’s something Christine Palmer witnessed at her job as a manager of Home Care Services for PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center in Alaska.
A long-term care resident, on isolation precautions, wanted to participate in an activity that was happening outside of her room.
Christine said that rather than simply dismiss the patient’s request out of hand, a member of the patient’s care team asked the magical question, “How can we make this happen?”
The question perfectly framed the issue around the patient’s wish and set the care team on a path to find a safe and appropriate way to fulfill the patient’s desire.
For Christine, the question was a game-changer. While there are times when requests cannot be granted, she said has since vowed to ponder the “How can we make this happen?” question more often and, perhaps, in doing so, can make a little more magic happen for the patients in her care—wand or no wand.
Are you wondering what event the patient want to take part in? Christine said it was a special performance by a visiting musician.
