a two way street

I saw this today in our institution and this is definitely one of the posters that I am very pleased to share and actually write about.

Yesterday, I saw a patient's relative taking a video of my consultant and myself's interaction with a patient, of course without our permission. I asked her politely about it and I told her that is very disrespectful. Since it was taken without our consent, it must be deleted. I explained to her the concept of privacy and that how she did and what she did is wrong. I don't think she was actually sorry, but I watched her as she deleted the file. There was nothing wrong with our interaction with her patient, and she was saying that it was for their relatives abroad. BUT it is still not the right way to do it.

There have been a surge of doctor shaming in social media. Often, doctors are always taken out of context. Social media has become a very powerful and dangerous tool being used by a lot of people to spread negativity or to destroy others' professions and even others' lives. And on the other side, there have been a lot of articles about how doctors and nurses are humans too that I couldn't agree more.

And today, I choose to write my thoughts (after quite a long time)

I've had my fair share of difficult patients and relatives during my almost 4 year hospital training (to include clerkship and internship). Being in the front line of healthcare as trainees, you get to address most of the patients and relatives' concerns, during one's tour of duty or one's rounds  - of course always to the best of one's knowledge and as conferred with our consultants.

They say that when dealing with patients and relatives, we should always understand because we are dealing with sick people. They say we should be thankful because we are on the other side - we are not the ones who are sick and it is not our relatives who are on the hospital bed.
And I say okay. It has never been a problem since I have always been respectful and courteous as these are values taught and instilled in me by my parents. I never answered back, never raised my voice.

They say we should deal with it because our profession is all about service.
And I say okay because making sure that our patients would always come first is part of good service and I am being trained to provide the best service in my specialty.

They say we should deal with all of it because we are in training.
And I say okay, because, well, I am in training and I am trying to learn.

In those years, you get really tired addressing all the concerns; you get really tired in making sure you give your best all the time. Sometimes appreciated, often shrugged off because, hey that is what you are being paid (minimally, if i may add) and again, trained to do.
And again that is okay. Because we don't need appreciation. Sure it's a good thing to be appreciated and I am always grateful for patients who do appreciate the things you do for them but it's never a big deal if they don't.

But you see, being under stress and being sick is never an excuse to be mean. We are under a lot of stress, we can get really sick, but if we start being mean (or even just looking mean insert resting b*tch face here), we get a lot of incident reports, we get shamed, we get the double standard comment of how we are entitled because we are doctors.

Really. Simply put, it's just, that respect is a two way street.

One does not need a degree to be a good person or even to show respect to everyone around them.

*deep sighs*

Like what I always say, if only everyone would choose to do good every day then this world will be a better place.

But alas, as what one of my favorite mentors is always saying, Isipin mo na lang "Not everyone has the same heart as you".

And at the end of the day, all you can do is let out a sigh knowing that you did your best. And that the next day when you wake up, you pray for the strength to do it all over again.