Nature of Suffering Evaluation Form

Please review the Nature of Suffering Evaluation Form in the next section. You will be using this form and the suggested questions to begin the process of developing an empathic understanding of a person’s illness.

We will use the Ollie Green case; you were introduced to him earlier. Review some of the suggested open-ended questions, these will help enable the person to tell their story. It is important to understand their perspective.

In the second part of the assignment, you will see a diagram with the four main domains that we learned about in the Nature of Suffering video: the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual domains. You do not have to ask about these four domains in any specific order. I usually begin by asking about physical symptoms and if there is something we can do to help the person be more physically comfortable. It will make the rest of the interview easier.

Also, this is not an exhaustive list of questions or topics you need to explore. Later in this course, you will learn more about the whole person assessment. This, however, can get you started; you will find this helpful as you think about Ollie Green’s situation. This kind of approach can help bring order to what can seem like a chaotic experience. I have found that people like this kind of interview and find it to be therapeutic or helpful. Many people wish to talk about things that concern them, yet health care providers may not ask about their worries. Patients are very relieved when someone is concerned about their needs and is available to listen. After trying this out with Ollie Green, please practice and use this approach with someone you know who is suffering from serious illness.