Integrative medicine as a change agent of hospital staff: From hospital orderlies to partners in health promotion

Abstract Introduction Hospitalized individuals often experience intense feelings of anxiety. Medical staff can reduce patient distress by employing appropriate communication techniques that establish rapport and emphasize positive affirmations. Orderlies transport patients throughout the hospital to consultations and various procedures that are often the source of intense patient apprehension. Under such circumstances, the human encounter offers an opportunity to relieve anxiety. Yet the orderly staff receive no training to facilitate patients’ emotional comfort. Methods The present article describes educational workshops in complementary medicine, which were conducted to provide hospital orderlies with appropriate tools to reduce patient’s anxiety, primarily through verbal communication. Results Following the workshop, orderlies reported a change in their language and attitude towards patients, as confirmed by post-training interviews with the nursing staff. The orderlies’ perceived role of merely transporting patients to and fro was transformed into a more profound meaning of engaging actively in patient comfort and care. Conclusion This positive experience encourages the researchers to identify and appropriately educate additional sectors in the hospital, such as nurses’ aides, secretaries and other auxiliary staff whom patients encounter daily, to serve as partners in health promotion.