When a Family Needs a Physician

As a medical student in my third year, and first month of clinical rotations in the hospital, I was asked to see a patient I will never forget. A frail, elderly woman with advanced pulmonary fibrosis presented to the hospital with increasing shortness of breath. Her home oxygen was no longer enough, and when I saw her I understood the clinical definition of “labored breathing” as she took arduous breaths in and out. She was brought by her family, many of whom had recently moved to the country. The woman could muster just enough energy to answer yes or no to our barrage of questioning in the emergency department.
Source: Patient Education and Counseling - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Discussion Source Type: research