This comic, like most of my comics, is based on an experience I had recently. A Black patient received an unexpected and dire diagnosis and reacted in a way that was uncomfortable, but in the end, not harmful or even entirely unreasonable, to the care team. One of the nurses called security on them, stating that they were being “disruptive” to other patients. I was shocked by the willingness and swiftness by which this patient’s behavior was criminalized, with neither regard for their condition nor recognition that honestly patients reaming their healthcare teams is just another Tuesday (for better or worse.) I don’t like being the subject of that any more than the next person, and I will always advocate for HCWs feeling safe at work. But I couldn’t help but feel that this patient was being swiftly punished for having one of many fairly normal reactions to fear.
I always say that being Black in America is to be never given the benefit of the doubt. I think about how this patient had no reason to fully trust the medical team with their body outside of blind faith, and how their coping mechanism, adaptable or not, was not considered in that context. Instead, they were retraumatized, watched, searched, and put in their place. And I think that was wrong. We need to do better. If we are going to have standards for patient behavior, they need to be evenly applied. See my story for more insights!
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