6 · SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2017 PROFESSIONAL CAREGIVER FOCUS to have, Fagan said, is empathy. If you don’t have empathy for the people who walk into your room, the job’s not for you. You also have to have some personality. Finally, you need to have the knowledge and the skills to really listen to what the patient is saying. “You can’t really multitask and listen to what that veteran is saying, because you might miss something that’s critical to their health and well-being,” he said. “And how are you going to feel if you didn’t pick up on something, and now this veteran is down the hall or upstairs fighting for every breath because you weren’t paying attention and just trying to get to the next one? You can’t do that.” Award finalists were chosen by a national review committee that includes past recipients as well as representatives from the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. Since he was announced as a finalist, Fagan has become something of a celebrity around the VA, much to his embarrassment over all the attention. He said he has even had veterans who haven’t been his patients stop him in the hallway after recognizing him from newspaper articles and ask to talk to him. “What are you going to do, say no?” Fagan said. “(Am I supposed to) say, ‘You’re so-and-so’s patient?’ No, we don’t do that here.” The winner was to be announced at the 22nd Annual Kenneth B. Schwartz Compassionate Healthcare Dinner in Boston on Nov. 16 (after the print deadline for this edition of Caregiver). The fact that he’s the first VA health care provider to ever be named a finalist is something Fagan can hardly believe. “To think of all the good people, all the good caregivers that work at the VA, and they picked my little old butt?” he said, still trying to wrap his head around the honor. “It’s mind-boggling.” One of the biggest keys to being a good caregiver is to really listen to what the patient is saying, Victor Fagan said. NATE SMALLWOOD | TRIB TOTAL MEDIA 1107 Lowry Ave., Jeannette, PA 15644 724-527-7788 Pharmacy • 724-527-2752 Food Pantry www.ranierscompounding.com adno=6521433 Ranier’s Pharmacy and Compounding Laboratory • Free Delivery - 2 hour radius (Both prescriptions & food items) • Food Pantry • Acceptance of all major insurances includingMedicare Part D • Compounding Expertise includingVeterinary, Hormone Replacement&SportsMedicine Personal Assistance Services accessAbilities, Inc. enhancing quality of life Choose accessAbilities, Inc. Providing home and community as Your Service Provider! based services for individuals 18 years and older… Call Today! • assisting with activities of daily living, companion and/or respite care; and • allowing individuals to live in the comforts of their own homes. NowHiring Direct Care Staff 724.832.8272 • www.accessabilities.org adno=6522997
cg_tg_nov
To see the actual publication please follow the link above