This post was written by Michael Kinsey, MAOL, Advance Care Planning Specialist, Parkview Health.
Many of you reading this post can relate to the unexpected happening in this thing we call a life journey. Just when we think we know and completely understand a path we are on, that path begins to wind and take surprising turns. A little over six months ago, my path began to do that very thing. I was sitting myself in front of my computer in the Chaplaincy office, and felt an undeniable pull toward Advance Care Planning (ACP).
At the time, I knew very little about ACP, other than how to help patients and their loved ones complete advance directives, like a Living Will or appointing a Health Care Representative. I had been an overnight chaplain at Parkview Regional Medical Center (PRMC) for six years, and when I read the job description for an opening in the ACP department, something resonated with me. Something that could not be more familiar to me.
In the description for the position, it said that “a patient’s voice should be the loudest in the room even when they cannot communicate.” As a chaplain, I couldn’t count the number of occasions when I participated in difficult conversations about what a family’s loved one would want. Too often, the family’s reply was, “We never really talked about it.” On those occasions, that patient’s voice was not the loudest in the room. That patient’s voice wasn’t even heard. Their loved ones were left with hard decisions and a high potential for artificial guilt, no matter what decision they made. As I pondered the job, I knew I needed to be a part of the effort to help make individuals’ goals, values and preferences for medical care known and honored.
Now, six months, three facilitator courses, one instructor course and more than 50 ACP conversations later, I have learned the inner workings of ACP. I’ve learned to have important conversations with adults of any age and any health; conversations that help them to reflect, discuss, understand and write down their goals for medical care, so when that time comes, their family will already know. And that time comes for all of us sooner or later.
People ask me what I do at Parkview. When I tell them, they ask, “What is Advance Care Planning?” I share my story. Then they ask for advice for how to get started with ACP, and I tell them exactly what I will tell you today: Don’t wait. Have the conversation.
Looking for help with ACP?
The Parkview Advance Care Planning team is happy to assist with critical conversations and advance directives. To learn more or schedule an appointment, email acpdept@parkview.com.
