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Employing imaginative rationality: using metaphor when discussing death
Rebecca Llewellyn1, Chrystal Jaye2, Richard Egan1
1Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Abstract:
The prevalence of metaphors in medicine is widely acknowledged. In a qualitative study exploring expectations of longevity, we observed repeated recourse to the imaginative rationality provided by metaphors to express perspectives on longevity and death. Bafflement, acceptance, uncertainty and distress were conveyed through metaphors, providing valuable insight into the internal healthcare frameworks of participants. Skilful use of imaginative rationality in the healthcare setting may illuminate the elusive and often eschewed topic of death in a way that fosters clarity and new understandings, and pave the way towards a better life, and death for patients. By becoming aware of the nuances contained within patients'-as well as their own-metaphors, clinicians may enhance patients' overall healthcare experience and avert unintended miscommunication.
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