Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Patients and Patience

Visiting hours is the worst time to review or take blood from patients.
When you ask the patient a question, the relative will help with the answer.
All of a sudden, you get a heap of complaints, sometimes not from the patients, but from the relatives.

Today, a friend of mine wanted to take blood for a dengue patient,
When he pricked the patient, her daughter was the one 'tsk'-ing in pain (don't know how else to put it).
Won't you find that disturbing?

Another short story - I was reviewing a patient.
I was just going through her previous notes before I started asking her questions when another lady by her side suddenly asked me something (I forgot the question). I answered and continued with my work.

All of a sudden, this lady asks me, u are doctor...and I told my name.
Then, she told me, "I am Dato' XYZ".
I thought, "So?"
Does she think I am going to treat her differently just because she is a Dato'?
Do I have to go around and introduce myself with a Doctor in front?
Come on!
It's not like you were born with it...so why introduce yourself with it?

However, this I MUST say...people do treat you differently based on your profession.
Teachers get respect.
Policemen/policewomen are feared.
Doctors are ...I don't know.
All I know, when I am wearing my labcoat, more people tend to look at me and smile at me compared to when I am not wearing my labcoat.

I just have one message to everyone out there - when/if you are a patient, please remember this few things :
1 - tell us your complaints, no problem, but please, don't go on and on and on! Keep it short and informative.
2- please do not change your answers. There have been many times when when I ask a patient a question, and when the MO or specialist ask the same question, the answer changes. The diagnosis depends on your answer. You give a different answer, the specialist says we didn't get a proper history!
3- please remember that you being in the ward means more work for us - extra 1 person to review, extra 1 person to take blood from, extra one bed occupied. If it were up to us, we would dischage everyone and keep the hospital empty. I am getting SICK of people who tell us that we like keeping them in the ward and not discharging them.
4- if you are given medication, please that them at home. Don't not take your medication, don't default your follow up. In the end, you are the one who is going to suffer - and when you are readmitted for your non-compliance, we will not be as nice to you as we previously are because you simply REFUSE to listen to us!

That's all for now, can't think of anything else.
Stay healthy!

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