Dear Patient,
A by no means exhaustive list of mistakes I’ve made as an acupuncturist:
Leaving a needle in patient.
Using too many needles in a treatment, which is draining and leaves the patient feeling exhausted afterwards.
Not asking enough questions.
Inserting a needle too deeply and it's painful.
Not inserting a needle deep enough and it falls out.
Prescribing an herbal formula that ends up making the patient feels worse and not better.
Assuming the patient has the resources to implement my suggested dietary or lifestyle changes.
Misspelling the word "acupuncture" on my business card.
Being rushed.
Being distracted.
Some mistakes I’ve made many times, some only once, but all have made me a better clinician. Mistakes can be our greatest teachers. And we're all allowed to make them.
Love and gratitude,
Your Acupuncturist
Laughed out loud at the business card mishap. We've had a similar incident here a few years ago. ;)
Almost 50 years ago I was 20 years old and a brand, spanking new RN at a state psychiatric hospital. We had just placed an aggressive, angry patient in the seclusion room to give him a safe space and some time to regroup. He told me he thought having a cigarette would help him calm down, so I lit one and gave it to him. After he was released he said, “you know, Miss Amy, you probably shouldn’t have given me that cigarette. I could have done some damage in there.” I hope that is the worst mistake I will ever make in my career, as it could have been catastrophic. Thanks for sharing your humbling experiences, Alexa.