A patient walked out on me the other day.
It doesn't happen every day, but it happens often enough. I usually never find out why. Sometimes it's to go pick up children or meet another time-sensitive obligation. Sometimes it's to go smoke a cigarette or get a dose of drugs. I think sometimes they get scared and feel as though running from the department can help them escape their diagnosis. Whatever the reason, I learned early on that I have to be able to let those people go. The other side of the patient autonomy coin is this: they're responsible for getting the care they need and it's not my job to force or coerce them.
Except when it is.
It doesn't happen every day, but it happens often enough. I usually never find out why. Sometimes it's to go pick up children or meet another time-sensitive obligation. Sometimes it's to go smoke a cigarette or get a dose of drugs. I think sometimes they get scared and feel as though running from the department can help them escape their diagnosis. Whatever the reason, I learned early on that I have to be able to let those people go. The other side of the patient autonomy coin is this: they're responsible for getting the care they need and it's not my job to force or coerce them.
Except when it is.
