Today I lost my patience to a patient named Afrah...I explained to her 4x how to use an oral contraceptive pill. She came in on first consult asking why she is bleeding after coitus, she is newly married and asking for OCP. The consult took so long because she has so many questions which was pretty understandable. I did some vaginal exam and run some tests she came back after 30 minutes for result of her labs, the relaying of the result normally lasting for 5 minutes lasted for 15 minutes as she was asking about OCP. After her turn I saw patient No. 30 when patient no. 30 came out she came knocking at my door again asking if she can have contact with her husband and ask about OCP again as a doctor i felt the need to make her understand and I asked if she understood she said yes then she came back 5 minutes before the end of my duty together with her husband, again asking about how to use OCP. I flared up I knew blood run through my face, my eyes opened up so big, my voice a bit loud and my hand flying everywhere, I told her I spent so much time explaining to you and you never understood you should've brought your husband along so I explain one time not repeatedly....Oh my !!! I know I shouldn't have lost my patience with her because patients are like publicity " good or bad " it is still publicity. I prefer to be known and publicized as a kind doctor rather than an impatient doctor but with what happened I know it will affect my identity...and there is a chance this patient will not come back but I swear to God I tried to keep my cool but tonight is one of those bad days for me.
Because of the incident my mood was so bad, I even shouted at one of the medreps, yelling at him not to enter my clinic, he stayed outside my door until I told him to come in. Pity him because he was just doing his job yet he felt my rage.
I even left the paperworks that I have to do tonight which added to my stress I also was not able to go to my mudeer who called for me since yesterday.
Then at the grocery I even told the cashier to hurry up and not to talk too much because he is talking too much with the bagger.
I told my husband and he scolded me because he is really against argument with patients even before when I was in the Philippines he told me to extend my patience to patients.
I dont know why Im hoarding all this guilt. I know I hold on to my patience as long as I could but...what I did with Afrah is still in my conscience. I felt sorry for having treated her that way but I am just human I also have my limits. My husband opened up my eyes that even if I think I'm right I am not in a position to treat the patient that way. He reminded me that I am in a foreign land and when I argue with a Saudi National I am always at a loosing end. I suddenly remembered the incident wherein the receptionist fought with a patient and the patient went up to the Mudeer and the Mudeer scolded the receptionist. They can always make a story to make you look and feel bad and that you are out of reason. I learned my lesson. I will try my best to be more patient and accommodating even if my patient is nerve-irritating. May God give me the strength.
No comments:
Post a Comment