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Behind the Wheel

Drithika Jayanth

Drawing
This piece was inspired by an interaction I had with a patient during my first hospital shift in the Care for the Elderly ward. He was diagnosed with dementia and was a high fall-risk patient – tending to leave his bed and attempt to exit the ward – a considerable proportion of my shift being dedicated to ensuring this did not happen. Between frustrated grunts and sighs, my patient explained to me that he works at (a famous motor vehicle manufacturing company), and that he was needed at the plant to attend to his duties. This was one of the very first exchanges we had had all day and it was an exchange that initially puzzled me. I did not know how to respond or whether to respond. On the one hand, I knew that he did not in fact work there anymore, and his confusion possibly being attributed to his neurodegenerative condition. On the other hand, however, I felt this minor piece of information could help me support him. I proceeded to ask him more about his line of work, the type of daily duties he must carry out. He went into detail, and I sat and listened. This distracted him from his desire to leave the ward.

In this simple digital line drawing, I explore the idea of taking the patient’s perspective, with or without capacity, when caring for them. The viewer is invited to take the position of the driver of a Rolls-Royce. Effectively, we are the patient, but in the position he views himself: young, active and working for one of the most popular vehicle manufacturing companies in his time. In contrast with the foreground, the background is depicted in real time on the ward – the true setting the patient and I were in. Through the medium of a drawing, I can depict a surreal setting which suggests that both the patient’s understanding of reality and my own perception of reality can somehow coexist. This mutual understanding allows me to support him and maintain patient safety, and importantly, respect his right to feeling safe and rationalise the world around him – allowing him to have control of his own wheel.

Having family members with dementia, I have dealt with similar situations in the past – yet this experience has taught me that when caring for patients with any form of dementia, not one size fits all. Creating this piece has shown me that some essential patient information cannot be found readily in their medical notes, and that considering the perspective the patient themselves provide – whether it is fact or not – is equally as crucial.

I enjoyed the process of creating this piece as I feel that I have reflected on my own approach to caring for older patients – understanding that although that there are some procedural steps to patient interactions, I will require an element of creativity, open-mindedness and self-awareness to supplement this and better attend to a patient’s holistic needs. Furthermore, creating this piece has made me want to further explore other ways in which whole-person care presents in a clinical setting, and what my role is in ensuring its fruition.

Effective Consulting, Year One, 2022-23
Annual Creative Prizewinner

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