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Shampoo… and face wash, check.

Have I mentioned how much I love rainy and gloomy days like these?

My six weeks of nursing attachment has come to an end at last.
Through it all, I’ve learnt a thing or two about the role of a nurse, as well as a doctor.

I’ve learnt that there are nurses who just do the things they do because its a job and THEN,
there are nurses who do the things they do because, they care.
The same is observed amongst doctors.

I would like to publicly state that the nurses and doctors of Ward 73 (Central and B2) are truly admirable. In my previous attachment at the polyclinic and the surgical ward 75, most of the nurses treated us as ‘extra’ baggages and the doctors treated us with disdain.

Fortunately, in Ward 73, my hopes of more positive nursing colleagues came true! The nurses had a culture that included teaching, to anyone who was interested. And the doctors! They were excellent! They were willing to teach when asked, they acknowledged our presence and shared their views. What struck me and completely gave me hope for our future doctors in Singapore was a particular HO* (names not used to protect their identity). He said that, "For my patients, I’m willing to squat down" and he proceeded to do just that to perform a procedure. Exactly the same sort of sentiments I have. A very chirpy and positive doctor, he was also genuinely caring and considerate of the patient’s feelings and the family’s concerns. I really hope his optimism has rubbed off on the medical student? Who was also attached to the ward. We need more doctors of his kind.

I’ve never learnt more than I did at this particular ward and to me, everyday was a new learning opportunity and though my back hurt and I’ve earned quite a few bruises after a hard day’s work-I did not mind.

This was what made nursing such a fulfilling career when you have colleagues who genuinely care and who really want to make a difference to the patient’s lives and, at the same time maintaining a professional facade.

ANother reason that made this particular attachment much more meaningful were the patients. Most of the patients under my care spoke either malay or hokkien. Both of which were greek to me. Somehow though, we managed to get our intentions and meaning across. I’ve had a particular patient who kept calling out to me in hokkien just to tell me that I was good and nice. Then I’ve had another who actually rubbed my head when I was assisting her in her bath, just to show her appreciation to me because she spoke malay. And then, patients from Ward 75 were transferred to 73 and they all recognised me and expressed their delight to know that I was attached at 73. It was a really great feeling to know that whatever I’ve done for them, no matter how simple and unglamourous it was, were appreciated and remembered.

Truly, I felt really sad to end my last day at Ward 73. I wanted to thank each and everyone of the staff at that ward (particular Central) for their kind patience and warmth. And the patients too. Sadly though, not all the staff were on duty by the time my shift ended tonight. Well, I can only hope they’ll have a great holiday season.

Oh dear, my blog entry sounds like an ‘oscar’ themed ‘thank you’ speech.

After another busy week has ended, I take my most precious time to ponder and reflect on the past week-instead of starting on my psychology text.
I have ended 3 weeks of clinical attachment in the surgical ward. Thank you god.
My initial feelings of shock and disappointment in the professionalism of some of my future colleagues have not entirely dissipated, somewhat. Some actions that I’ve witnessed, I guess, are due to immaturity and protection from the real working world since they have been in the hospital environment since graduation. I can empathise with them when they lament about the lack of challenges in their career but I can also see the potential in every situation they faced, as a new challenge if only they just looked harder and thought harder. To them, it is all routine. Following a set procedure and if there’s no one looking, missing a step or two along the way. It seemed to me that not one of the individuals I’ve met so far, has thought of changing the steps completely, to a radically proven and researched way, to help their patients. No one has thought to understand the actions of their doctors and question those actions for a reason to subject patients to certain tests. The neverending ‘WHY? WHY? WHYs?" ended somewhere between the time they graduated and the time they actually started work.
Will I ever become like one of them?
No. I do not intend to see the first path infront of me, I intend to look at the various paths beyond the first. To plan the future of patient care. It might take me years, sacrifices and lots of heartaches BUT if I were to ever have to depend on nurses at some point in my life, I want to be ensured that I, as a patient would feel really protected and secured knowing that my life will be take care of by professional and inspired healthcare staffs.
FOr the next 2 weeks, I’ll be attached to the medical ward. I just hope that there are more like-minded individuals there.