ABSTRACT
By virtue of our professional ethic and responsibilities, and the very nature of healthcare, the societal expectation is that the attitude and actions of the health professional will affect the patient – ideally with a positive outcome. The expectation is not interdependence, but rather unidirectional dependence. Interdependence refers to a relationship in which the attitude and actions of each person depend on the other person. For interdependence to occur in the clinical setting, the health professional and patient need to mutually influence the relationship. Although the health professional’s effect on patient outcomes are well researched, the patient’s effect on health professional outcomes have received less attention. This chapter aims to clarify the linkages among interdependence and clinical care. There is a summary of the literature on interdependence and mutuality from two fields: dialogic philosophy and Buddhist practice. Health professional–patient relationship and dialogue are discussed in the context of the Theory of Human Caring, Interaction Adaptation Theory, and Shared Presence. There is exploration of opportunities for personal growth that derive from interdependent relationships in healthcare. The chapter concludes with exercises that stimulate experiential learning and deep engagement with mutuality and the interdependence of our relationships.
