Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1496639
it. When you are a patient, do you interact with the nurse the same way you do with the doctor? The differences may be subtle, but they exist and they are notable. The same is true when a patient interacts with us. They may share more or differently, and the simple fact is that we typically have more time to spend with them. There is so much value in all of this, but only if we take it upon ourselves to connect the dots. During Healwell's courses in pediatric and adult hospitals and in oncology infusion centers, we often coach therapists to say something like, "You probably already know this, but Mr. Jones indicated that he has been having some new pain in his right hip." Or "I suspect you're already addressing this, but Mrs. Mukherjee is worried that her husband is not administering her shots correctly at home." When you are with Mr. Jones and Mrs. Mukherjee, you can listen and make space for what they're sharing. Perhaps you can do something to address Mr. Jones's pain specifically and manually within the scope of massage therapy, but even if you do, it's worth sharing that information with other team members. And in the case of possibly incorrect shot administration in the Mukherjee household, it's well within your scope to share this with a provider who can check in with Mrs. Mukherjee's husband about his shot administration. It's possible that she has already told her nurse, and maybe anyone else who will listen, that she is concerned about this. If that's the case, you and the nurse will have a laugh about it, but that nurse will also begin to see you as another member of the team who is paying attention to a bigger picture and who can be considered a potential collaborative partner on the unit. You are a health-care provider whether you are contracting, employed, or volunteering (stay tuned for an in-depth exploration of the politics of volunteering in future columns). Know your value. Think broadly and collaboratively about how you can support health and comfort for the people you touch. And speak up. Your hands are just a small fraction of what you bring to this equation. Cal Cates is an educator, writer, and speaker on topics ranging from massage therapy in the hospital setting to end-of-life care and massage therapy policy and regulation. A founding director of the Society for Oncology Massage from 2007 to 2014 and current executive director and founder of Healwell, Cates works within and beyond the massage therapy community to elevate the level of practice and integration of massage overall and in health care specifically. Cates also is the co- creator of the podcasts Massage Therapy Without Borders and Interdisciplinary. L i s te n to T h e A B M P Po d c a s t a t a b m p.co m /p o d c a s t s o r w h e reve r yo u a cce s s yo u r favo r i te p o d c a s t s 81 TAKEAWAY: The nature of the massage therapist and client relationship is different than the relationship between the client and other health-care providers, but that doesn't mean it's less important.