Vent: A patient's comment about my voice made me change how I talk at night

I work night shifts at the hospital, and a few weeks ago, a patient told me something that stuck with me. He said, 'You're very kind, but your voice is so loud and bright right now, it's like a morning person walking in.' It was 3 AM. I never thought about it before, but I guess I just use my normal daytime voice. I realized that in the quiet of the night, especially for people trying to rest or who are in pain, my usual tone could be jarring. Since then, I've made a real effort to soften my voice, lower the volume, and slow down my words when I'm doing my rounds in the dark hours. It feels a bit unnatural, but I think it helps. It's funny how one small piece of feedback can make you aware of a habit you never noticed. Has anyone else had to adjust something simple about how they act because of a comment from someone?

2 comments

2 Comments

abbychen18d ago

Toning down my voice at night made patients seem more at ease.

diana15518d ago

Oh wow, that's such a good point. It's crazy how much tone and volume affect how people feel. You must have a great sense for that kind of thing.