As experienced clinicians we often forget that what we know and how we help, is expertise. We are so used to what we do and how we help, that it feels like common sense. Am I right?!
How many times have you spoken to a client who exclaims, wow I never thought of that, meanwhile you are thinking, why not, everyone knows this.
No, not everyone knows what you know.
It’s also easy to get caught up in feeling like we don’t make enough of a difference. As health professionals we are called to make a difference otherwise we wouldn’t be health professionals. It’s just who we are (more than what we do).
I am passionate about health professionals being the best versions of themselves they can be.
Why? Well because…
When we help one person in our rooms or clinic, that person goes home to a family;
What we help one person learn, know, to change – they pass on to their family members;
So, then we might have 5 people who now have a new skill, new knowledge, more compassion;
And then each of these 5 people then go into a school or a workplace, or a bingo game or to a dance class, and suddenly these 5 people are impacting 30 new people each – so that is now 150 people who have been touched by YOUR knowledge, skills & expertise.
This is how we change communities, how we change a State, how we change a culture, how we change a nation.
Earlier this week on my “This Is Private Practice” video, I shared how I connected a Childcare Centre in Cambodia with a Private Speech Pathologist in Cambodia.
What is significant about this?
We tried to find a funded Speechie in Cambodia, but currently there are no indigenous trained and practicing Speech Pathologist’s in the entire country, so we were left with needing to pay.
I spent a total of USD$100 to enable the Speech Pathologist to travel to this child, assess the child and TRAIN the childcare centre staff on how they can work with him right now.
So…
This child has an assessment of their needs by a professional who is largely unknown by the community.
The Child Carers in the centre received some professional development to be able to screen for communication disorders in very young children.
The Child Carers can then implement some of what they have learned with this child who was assessed and with other children who maybe experiencing something similar.
These children can go home and start to practice their communication skills, opening them up to give and receive love, reduce the chances of neglect, reduce poverty, increase opportunities to participate in education, increase opportunities to participate in employment.
All of this from 1 assessment of 1 child and USD$100.
If you ever doubt your knowledge, skills and expertise then please re-read this post. This is the difference we all make every time we work with a client. So much more than just one client at a time.
Wishing you a fantastic week.
Jo xx
