Decision making in an imperfect world
We’d all like to have the luxury of perfect decision making. Perfect information, and a stress-free decision making environment, while desirable, aren’t how most emergencies work.
The thing about being in medical crisis is this, you will make a lot of imperfect decisions. Unfortunately, you don’t always get to sleep on decisions like continuing treatment. Sometimes you are merely consenting to the only option available and have only the illusion of choice.
Sometimes you can ask for time, you certainly should if you need it and the decision can wait. Many times things are done on a schedule convenient for the institutions involved. I heard this story recently of a patient with a potentially life-threatening medical condition. She was diagnosed and given a prognosis rapidly. Since all the medical personal were available, they wanted to meet with the patient to discuss the treatment plan then and there…while the patient was still absorbing the diagnosis. Wisely, the patient asked for time.
Sometimes it will not be possible to have time and decisions will need to be made, and you’re going to have to live with them. All I can suggest is the following if you can’t employ the guidelines above about not making a decision when you’re sad…
- For that moment of decisions, clear your mind of all other tangential thoughts so you’re thinking about the decision at hand.
- Is it fair? Is it fair to you as a caregiver, is it fair to the patient? This will be shades of grey and not black and white.
- Let it go. Do not second guess, do not ruminate after the decision has been made. Your decisions does not need to be perfect, because none of us are.