The Name of the Game
Inspired by Lessons of the Cards
Card games and card language pervade our culture and provide glimpses into our own values and ways of connecting to others. Most of us have played some type of card game in our lifetime. Whether our first game was Go Fish, Crazy 8’s, War, Old Maid or something more sophisticated like UNO, we easily recall playing it.
Children’s games, Old Maid in particular, cause me to wonder at the subtle or not-so-subtle message they give children. Does a young girl receive the message that if she should fail to find her match, she will most certainly end up old, single, and repulsive? And what about young boys who easily learn the fun of War, where a bit of slapping around is perfectly normal?
Gender messaging to children starts early. Observe any small girl playing Old Maid and you will see “the look” that comes over her face when the spinster card finds its way into her hand. In my era, the Old Maid had a large, unattractive wart on her nose and a sinister look on her face. More recently the makers of the game have softened the tone of the card by creating a housekeeper Old Maid complete with uniform, mops, and dusting regalia. Is this an improvement or does it perhaps diminish the role of a person who performs these services in our hospitals?
Cards permeate our learning continuum. We create flash cards to learn colors, words, and mathematics in our preschool and elementary years. College students use cards to study for examinations. And many people use some type of playing card for social relaxation.
Card games are designed to test knowledge, skill, and wit. Some are used to entertain while others serve to teach wartime strategies. These innocent-looking, rigid pieces of paper have unwittingly been used to influence persons, cultures, and nations. Decks of cards have been used to create entire institutions of gambling and games of luck. These small pieces of paper stock have been blamed for bankruptcy, divorce, and yes, even murder. So how does something so ordinary, so ubiquitous, so innocent, become so nefarious?
When the Cards Have Spoken
The pervasive language of card games can be heard from politics to podium, from professor to pundit, and from practitioner to patient. Common expressions using card language reveal a deep influence in our daily lives. Card language can inform healthcare of its potential, its responsibilities, and its threats. In turn, it becomes applicable to interactions with our team, our community, and most importantly our patients. That understanding is central to how we play our hands. Consider these familiar terms:
She’s been dealt a bad hand —life can hand a patient some huge challenges that may not be fair.
He’s not playing with a full deck—a distraction or inadequate knowledge can prevent an administrator from being fully present in an important situation.
Her life is a house of cards—though a colleague may be holding things together for the moment, one more bad thing, unlucky event, or a new requirement, and everything will come tumbling down.
Wow, he got the luck of the draw—through no strategy on his part, a colleague may suddenly become very lucky, and that can produce a bit of envy in coworkers.
It’s all in the cards—fate is supreme. The patient believes she has very little control or ability to change a future course.
Read ‘em and weep—before delivering challenging news, a healthcare professional had better look at his “hand” and be prepared for a difficult conversation.
It will come back in spades—the effort healthcare workers put into their jobs will be recognized and rewarded abundantly in the future.
She is a wild card—this administrator may say something or do something that could be embarrassing and beyond your ability to control.
He got lost in the shuffle—somehow during the decision-making process, everyone forgot about the patient.
Although these sayings are often shared with humor or kindly intent, it is well to remember, “many a truth is said in jest.” Whether it’s patients, colleagues, or administrators—these expressions fit a multitude of scenarios for healthcare professionals. Beware, sometimes they may even be said about us.
If you enjoyed reading this please leave a comment below! Check out my new book Lessons of the Cards, available on www.HazelCurtis.com and Amazon