ABSTRACT
Metaphor allows for the creation of a lively and rich dialogue. It transforms talking about something into a vivid experience of something beyond the simple transmission of facts. Simile and metaphor are closely related, but, unlike metaphor, a simile uses like or as. The patient is in shock, and it isn’t clear if it is cardiogenic or related to the septicemia. It is always best to elicit a personal metaphor or simile, since not only does this provide a more graphic image of the patient’s perspective, but it also limits the practitioner from projecting a personal image that may not be as relevant. An intravenous infusion of antibiotics is uncomfortable, disturbing, and alien, particularly when the infusion is needed for 6 weeks or more. While similes and metaphors can heal, they can also traumatize.
