Before year 2010 ends, the two kids of the family that I'm with had severe bouts of vomiting, the day after the 25th. You could just imagine how stressful that was for us, after the three joyful days (23-25), here came the heartbreaking sight of seeing our 2 year old babylove, exhausted from more than 10 bouts of vomiting. Tired and sleepy as we were, we decided to bring the child to Chinese General Hospital (yes, I will name it here for you folks to be cautious). We opted to bring babylove there because first, it was on our way home, and second it's the hospital where the pediatrician of these kids is affiliated. It was my first try of that hospital and we arrived at around 3PM in the ER. We were directed to 'screening' or triage section. Just from there, it took them more than half an hour to accomodate us! Mind you it was just the triage. But we patiently waited. The patient before us (newborn) was sent home when the mother was rudely asked by the nurse if she can pay because just their IV alone costs 1,000 pesos and the poor mother couldn't afford. First count of zero patient care by the nurse. She could at least say it in a nice way and not rubbed it in that they were poor and unworthy of their medical service. And so we went the usual temperature, weight measurement and were sent inside the ER to pedia section. The sight of their ER alone would make anyone sick even how well one is. Gosh! But not minding the disorganized ER, hoping that the doctors were good, we let go the not so good facilities. In the ER, we were asked to sit infront of a table where the pedia residents were checking up their patients. All the nitty gritty process of ER I very well know, but I remained to be an obedient company of my patient. The intern asked what happened, and so I told the history. So she scribbled something in her chart and I was expecting for her to ask more vital information such as maternal history, birth history, vaccination history, allergies and all (doctors and medical practioners you all know this), but the intern didn't ask any. I then expected at least the resident would ask, but didn't as well. Instead we were asked to let our kid lie down in the Er bed and get a room. We followed and got a room. When I went back to the ER, I saw the nurse inserting IV already and I was told that blood was extracted at the antecubital area. I was like, why in the antecubital area? Our patient is just 2 years old? Isn't it more humane to just exract blood by pricking one of the fingers? Oh well, at that moment I didn't complain yet, out of consideration that maybe the residents were too busy to order it properly to the medtech. And so we were there, for good three hours, IV inserted already, blood extracted and yet the residents said we can't go yet to the room because she had to endorse it to the floor residents. I asked why? I know we can go to our room, let the child comfortably rest while residents can endorse each other. So nakulitan sila sakin, and we were sent to the room. Then, I was told that there was an additional order and the child had to be extracted again! I just bit my tongue and didn't complain because I knew I wont be saying nice things if I did. Here's another highlight, the wheelchair where the child was, passed to the street (yes outside the hospital!) across the parking area before we entered the building where our room was. How was that? Hello sunshine and cars and smoke first? This rant can go on and on as I didn't see any patient care from the medical staff of that hospital. From the consultant to the residents down to the nurses, they checked our dear patient without even introducing themselves out of courtesy, not even explaining to us their actioned plans. It's not that we were asking a VIP regard, we were just hoping to at least feel a compassion from them, like any other patients. This blog will take up so many pages if I'm gonna tell it one by one, all the horrible things we experienced in that hospital. And yes, on our second day in the hospital, I introduced myself as a doctor, explained to them that I was very well aware of the things they were doing, as much as the things they didn't do, and expressed to them clearly that I wasn't satisfied of their service. All of a sudden, a good care were given to us. Yet, it was too late, we asked for a HAMA (home without medical advice) and transferred our dear patient to a decent hospital along Ortigas, wherein we were taken cared of so well.
To all medical staff who may have read this blog, I absolutely understand your plight, as I one have worked in a hospital. But no matter how tired and busy we are, patient care should NEVER be forgotten, for after all, these people that we are dealing with, are in the first place not comfortable due to their illnesses, families are anxious and worried already for their sick loved ones. Our part would be to alleivate at least of their discomfort. So please, let us take care of our patients with compassion. It will matter a lot.
