Was feeling very frustrated after my 24-hour labour duty the day before followed by long hours of standing and going round and round the ward, depressed because I didn't have time to have breakfast, looking forward to finish everything off and leave the hospital, when my boss (whom everyone fear) decided to ask me attend to her private patient.
Argh!
So I started my duty as a part-time unpaid hospital tour guide and provided the best VIP service. Service and destination includes:
1. Escorted the patient to the Ultrasonography Room. Lined them up. Waited for their turn. Told them when they asked why do they have to wait so long. Waited while she got her transabdominal ultrasound done. Waited while the consultant explained to them about the scan result.
2. Thank god my boss was kind enough to let me go have my luch first. Actually she just let me off because she wants the patient to go have their lunch before the following procedure, that's how I got my chance off.
3. Met the patient at a time and place we agreed on before parting. Waited because they came late. But they got apologize lah. no big deal. anyway by that time i already had my lunch and felt a little better.
4. Escorted the patient to do PPTCT Counselling. Waited for the person-in-charge to come.Waited for her to do the counselling. Waited while they do a simple test. Waited for the next 15 minutes for the result.
5. Escorted them to the lab. Explained to them why blood and urine test are needed because their question was: Didn't we get a scan done already. Why still need to test some more?
Felt like telling them, if you have doubts with what is to be done in the hospital, then dont come lah. Deliver at home. No need go through all the waiting and scanning and blood testing etc. Nope, of course I didn't say that. I'm not that kind of doctor. Come on!
Showed them where to make payment. Waited while she get her blood sample taken. Waited when she waited for her bladder to be filled up enough to evacuate them into her urine bottle.
6. Escorted them to the labour room. Found her a bed for her to lie down. Informed the doctors on duty about this VIP patient of my boss. Actually, it is easy to get things done when you mention my boss' name. They did not procrastinate for even a minute to carry out the instructions that my boss has given. They connected the wires to put her on Non Stress Test, and I answered to the patient's question "What is this for?" Well, this will detect your baby's heart rate, and contractions of your uterus, and all these will be shown on this graph which is getting printed, including how many times your baby moves when you press this button. After 10 minutes, she said : "Actually I don't really understand how this thing works." So again I explained. Honestly, I've never seen any doctors give such lengthy explanation to patients in this hospital. Maybe most of the time I'm exposed to free ward patients, who are illiterate and ignorant.
7. Waited while they wait to repeat Non Stress Test. It happened that the NST didn't turn out to be satisfactory as the fetal heart rate tracing was not really reassuring. So the doctors decided to do a second tracing. Trying to be positive, perhaps the baby is fast asleep. So they let the patient relax a bit, take a break, eat some biscuits, drink apple juice. But this definitely didn't do any good. The husband started asking why do they have to do a repeat test? Was there something wrong. They were getting anxious. And I definitely don't want to worry them more. Being a junior most doctor in the whole ward, I didn't want to say the wrong thing to them. So I ask the doctor to do the explanation. She gave them a not-for-layman explanation which I'm pretty sure did not help calm the patient down.
8. Connected the phone to the operator and then to my boss. The husband got restless and wanted to talk to my boss. And boss' phone couldn't get through. So waited and dialed and waited and dialed. Finally, they spoke. My boss gave orders to the doctors on duty and they decided for admission.
9. Made sure the patient is comfortably admitted in her room, was about to bid goodbye. I had waited for this moment since 12pm and it's now 6pm. Mind you I did not get to sit all these while. And she asked, "Why do I have to be admitted? I am not due until 23 August." "OK, well you see, you are already 37 weeks 2 days. Infact, you may deliver anytime from now on because your baby is mature enough already. Like what my boss told you earlier, your baby appeared a little smaller on the scan. This could be due to your familial trait as both you and your husband are not very tall. But they want to keep a closer watch on your baby and you to make sure everything goes fine. Don't worry." I can totally understand her anxiety and apprehension being a primi. Not that I have any experience.
"Will you be staying back here with me?" She looked at me with her big round eyes. Really, she has big round eyes.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Actually I'm off duty and I am posted in another ward. If you have anything you can talk to those doctors just now. They are very nice. You don't have to worry."
"But you are closest to me. You have been with me since just now. I feel comfortable with you. Will you come tomorrow?"
"I'm sorry I can't promise you yet as I have to complete my duties in the other ward. If I will definitely drop by to see you okay? Rest well."
She thanked me, still looking a bit worried.
I told myself I will find time to drop in to see her tomorrow. I hope it is not inappropriate for me to do so as she is in the private ward and interns don't handle official work for private patients, which means I will be "illegally" visiting her.
My job as the VIP tour guide is done. But I was happy as I left the hospital. Not because such a tedious and not-my-business duty is over. But because patient was grateful for what I've done for her and she made me feel important as a healthcare provider.
I wasn't cursing my boss anymore for giving me extra tasks and making my life miserable. Instead, I'm glad that she gave me a chance to self-learn how to deal with patients, how to build up good rapport.
I'm also fortunate that the patients speak English and are pretty well-mannered. The husband got a little cranky after a long tiring wait in the hospital but he still spoke nicely. His pregnant wife must be even more tired than him and I. But I managed to communicate them without any language barriers or emotional outburst.
A simple gesture of appreciation, is what keeps me going.
