At the hospital.....

Having stayed in hospitals several times, I have had ample opportunities to observe the happenings in the wards, the behavior and attitude of doctors, nurses and patients.

A nurse's job is not an easy one and I admire them for their guts and attitude, but I do not envy them because it is one job that I know I can never do given the nature of the job.  The nurses are always on their feet doing their various tasks.  I happened to overhear one young nurse saying her back ached.  And I think she is not the only one suffering from backaches.  I feel so sorry for them.  This is usually due to lifting patients who are heavier then them.  I think this should be called a workplace hazard and I wonder why hospitals do not provide their nurses with back braces and supports when they need to lift patients everyday. 

At construction sites, the government places a lot of emphasis on workplace safety, but why is this group of people not taken care of when their service to the public is so admirable and worthy of commendation?

The patients - more often than not, I have seen them being very demanding and complaining over everything.  It's sad that some of them have adopted the attitude of "I am paying for my stay here and you are paid and expected to take care of me".

The doctors - occasionally I get upset by the doctors.

During my stay at the hospital for the coop loop procedure, my doctor had recommended that I go for chemotherapy.  The drugs used would be vinorelbine plus herceptin.  I had not wanted herceptin again as the first time I had herceptin in 2008, I had a mild heart attack.  As for vinorelbine, I told her I needed to consider.  I had not agreed and yet the doctor had gone ahead and arranged for an echocardiogram for me.  I only found out when the nurse came to ask if I could lie on my side or if I could turn.  I was curious and asked why she needed to know all this.  She said it was because I would be going for an echocardiogram the next morning.  I had one before and I knew what it was for.  I told the nurse that I was not going for the echocardiogram and asked her to check with my doctor.

I was disappointed.  First it was the Bleomycin, which was told to me as powder containing antibiotics, and then came the echocardiogram.  Fortunately, I had been alert and always asking questions otherwise I might have ended up paying for unnecessary stuff.  The echocardiogram could have been arranged when I agreed to take herceptin.  Perhaps the doctor had arranged it for my convenience since I was already in the hospital.