Escala, Stephanie Joy A.

NB
Palliative Care

BSN-3,
12/17/16

Context
The movie, Wit was under the direction of Mike Nichols. The story is about
Vivian Bearing, an English Professor. She suffers from stage IV ovarian cancer. Her
doctor, Harvey Kelekian, gets her to agree to his research, which she will have, an
experimental treatment. Vivian Bearing undergone aggressive chemotherapy under DR.
Harvey Kelekian and Vivians former student, Dr. Jason Posner. As Vivian nears death,
we can see that her fear is increasing and question her assumptions about what matters
in life. Her reflections reveal that she could have done more to create life, instead of just
analyzing it. Vivian also engages in monologue throughout the movie. What makes this
story sad is that both of her doctors treat her like a lab rat and the only one who truly
care for her is her nurse, Susie Monahan.
Experience
I have been able to take care of cancer patients before and I can say that it is
really hard. Cancer will slowly kill you and you do not know whether the chemotherapy
will save you. Oftentimes, most of the cancer patients do not even undergo
chemotherapy because it is very expensive. The patient will be very afraid of what is
about to come and support and care are the only ways I can give them. One of my
patient cried when I was interviewing her, I did not know what to do. For me, the hardest
thing to do is to comfort a person. I do not know how to do it. This is my weakness as a
nurse, I hope that I will slowly get used to comforting and will be able to support my
patient to the fullest to atleast lessen slightly their burdens that they are carrying.
Reflection
The story of Vivian Bearing was very sad. She suffers from stage IV ovarian
cancer, the last stage of the ever-aggressive cancer. It is saddening that when the
healthcare providers were supposed to give her comfort and appropriate care, they
were not able to give this to Vivian. Instead, the doctors were crap at giving care, looked
like they only care about their research, and does not care about the well-being of
Vivian. Vivians former student, Dr. Jason Posner, did the worst part of the movie. There
was this scene where Dr. Jason Posner was supposed to do a test on her, before that
he did an interview to Vivian and the he communicated too Vivian was not therapeutic at
all. After that, he even left Vivian in the room, which is a no-no, because he was to find
Susie. Also when he was performing the test, she was only talking to Susie, neglecting
Vivian, when he was supposed to talk to Vivian in a therapeutic way. The second scene
was when Dr. Posner, Dr Kelekian and their other colleagues did rounds. Dr. Posner
worked so fast, he did not ask for Vivians consent when he listed her hospital own to

look at her abdomen. I find this maddening. Dr. Posner should not be a doctor if he does
not know how to treat his patients right. He always does this, always-disrespecting
Vivian when Vivian was suffering greatly that I bet he does not know how bad Vivian
was feeling.
Action
I promised myself that I would do my best to take care of my patients not just
cancer patients, but all types of patients. I will make sure that we will establish a
therapeutic relationship. I will act as an advocate if the doctors are not treating the
patients right. I will make sure that I will give then quality care. I will make sure that we
will do interactive activities so that they will not spend their times in hospital boringly.
These are promises that I wish to accomplish.
Evaluation
Overall, this movie enables the people see what a cancer patient is going
through and how the nurses support their patients. The story was able to communicate
with the audience and was able to send their message. I hope that through this story,
we will able to support cancer patients more and build a therapeutic relationship,
especially the healthcare providers.