On Sunday afternoon I put away all my gadgets for several hours and took a break from studying. I asked my sister to go on a walk with me around the neighborhood, which she agreed to, but I had a heck of a time convincing her to leave her phone at home. As we were walking my sister asked if I asked her to walk because we needed to talk about something serious. I laughed and said no, but as I thought about it later I realized that we really only put down our devices and give each other undivided attention when something is really serious. We have the mindset that our interpersonal interactions are cheap and commonplace, but those moments are what give us life.
When this concept is applied to the clinical setting, it makes me realize the importance of connecting with patients. By using technology in a healthy way I hope to show them that I care, that I’m listening, and that they are important. Technological devices are wonderful tool that make incredible impact on the work we do, but we need to be mindful of when they become a crutch in our interactions.