Paramedic and patient: lessons from my double life

I had been a paramedic for 17 years when I found out I had cancer. I was stunned, experiencing many emotions in a short space of time. I was aware that I was not special though—in the UK, there are around 375 000 new cancer cases every year (Cancer Research UK, 2020) and it is expected that one in two people (born after 1960) will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime (NHS, 2019).

As the months passed, I received many treatments and tremendous support from specialist staff. I found their expertise, understanding and compassion to be supportive and at times humbling. I spent time at four different hospitals across many departments and wards. During this time, however, I realised that some health professionals were visibly uncomfortable and seemed unsure of what to say to me.

Both verbal and non-verbal communication techniques are used by health professionals—sometimes not in a positive way. In this reflective comment, I will discuss what I have experienced during my treatments regarding the communication skills of health professionals.