She’s Helping You Learn How To Advocate For Yourself During Any Kind Of Medical Procedure
If you’ve suddenly found yourself in the hospital for the first time, you might feel majorly overwhelmed by the flurry of activity going on around you.
Even if you’re no stranger to hospital visits, it can all be very unsettling. While there, you will have to make some health-related decisions. The information that doctors throw at you can make your head spin.
Perhaps you need to straighten out your thoughts and figure out what you want to do. In that case, Amanda Gorman (@findingyourvillage), a mother and a childbirth educator on TikTok, is teaching you how to advocate for yourself during labor or any other kind of medical procedure with the help of a handy acronym.
The BRAIN acronym is a simple tool designed to assist you in gathering all the details you need to make informed decisions about your health. It stands for benefits, risks, alternatives, intuition, and the next best thing.
We’ll go more into depth of each initial below, along with what questions you should be asking when faced with decision-making in a medical setting.
Benefits: In today’s healthcare climate, where so many options are available, it’s important to inquire about the treatments that care providers are offering so you can ensure that they’re making the best choice for you.
Ask about the benefits of the test, medication, or procedure that your medical care team is recommending. Why exactly are they suggesting this particular treatment?
Risks: Consider the risks or potential side effects associated with a certain treatment and weigh them against the benefits.
Alternatives: Are there other approaches that can be taken? There can be multiple approaches that can be taken to achieve your desired result.
spoialabrothers – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual people
Knowing about all the available options allows you to select the one that fits your circumstances best. That way, you won’t feel pressured into making a decision you’re not entirely comfortable with.
Intuition: Once you have all the facts, assess your feelings about them. What does your gut say about a particular procedure or protocol?
Take some time to yourself and think about which direction you’re leaning toward. Intuition is often overlooked when it comes to your healthcare journey.
To make the decision that’s right for you, listen to your intuition and let it guide you through the process until you come to a conclusion that leaves you feeling empowered and in control of your own self.
Next best thing: Finally, what’s your next best course of action? If you can, go through the steps of the BRAIN acronym multiple times to solidify your foundation of knowledge further. Then, give your consent or refusal to the tests or procedures you’ve been offered.
@findingyourvillage You can always ask questions and advocate for yourself! #birthtok #patientadvocacy #laboranddelivery
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
More About:News