Week 1

Over!

Good morning, people who still come to visit. My first week of this(second) clinical posting has come to an end, am doing great! This time round the staff nurses would actually ask for their students' names, which I am quite appreciative of. Okay, being addressed by name may not be a big deal actually, but I really am thankful for their little acts of acknowledgement. We're students, still human just the same as the nurses and patients.
Of course, the staff who do not know you would still end up calling you "student" lah, but never mind mah.

I enjoy the company of a few patients, does this sound a bit off? Let's try this again. I enjoy attending to a few of the patients in this ward. They are nice people, interesting and fun to talk to. Yet I have to keep reminding myself this- no favourtism in patient care. Only be grateful for having a few "pleasant" ones to keep your day going.

So I am overall quite happy about this posting, by far.
No dissatisfactions at all? You think I not normal person ah??
There are sources of stress and frustrations which I do not wish to reveal by writing where everyone can see. If you would ask me, I just might start borrowing a listening ear, if you may.

Then again, I am overall quite happy about this clinical posting, by far.

Reflection: Communication

A man came to deliver air mattresses today. For patients in beds 87 and 88; Mr. Ng and Mr. Amad. He was a Chinese man, probably in his early 30’s, who conversed in simple English with the staff nurse who just took over the afternoon shift; and in Mandarin with me.
 The man had his own way of communicating with us. First he got everybody to turn Mr. Ng to one side, so he could slide a new mattress under the patient. Then the air mattress was placed above that newly placed mattress. Next, all he got the staff nurse to do was hold on to the new mattresses with Mr. Ng on top; while he forcefully pulled out the old, normal one underneath with my help which I did not know he wanted. This was our first time doing it according to his instructions because usually we just added the air mattress above the normal mattress instead of changing it to a thinner one. In the end we moved on to the next bed, with a better idea of what to do already. Mr. Amad was a lucky man.

Anyway this was an event that took place today which left a lasting impression as it was a shocking enough experience. Looking at the helpless patients in discomfort, or worse still, pain, hurts my heart because I too, felt helpless as I did not know what was going on. Let alone relieve their discomfort.

It really did not went too well today for both patients whose families ordered for the air mattresses. It was an unpleasant experience; they may have fears in future whenever they are transfered from bed, having sheets changed, mattress changed, etc. I hope what happened today does not leave such impacts on Mr. Ng and Mr. Amad.

Looking at this event, I think that the man failed to communicate to the staff and I clear instructions, causing us to fail to help him as well as the patients as best as we could have. The man knew exactly what to do, but did not explain how. What he could have done was speak to us clearly and tell us how he needed our assistance, step by step; rather than just giving instructions along the way. Before I forget, he should also have known this was an orthopedic ward. At least find out what was wrong with the patients before all the shaking and shifting.

From this experience I understood the importance of effective communication. Without it, even efforts to do patients good might in turn harm them. Taking the air mattresses today for example: something to prevent pressure sores, but we could have knocked the patients or scratched their skin in the process of changing mattresses if careless. Thus from now on I will pay extra attention to communicating information as clearly as I can, and make sure I get help if the opposite party does not understand what I try to convey. Besides, I will also take extra efforts to be an active listener on the other side of the fence.

Which brings me to my next point, I experience some problems with understanding what are being said over the passing of reports. The staff nurses use many abbreviations which I sometimes find difficulties catching up with. I confess my fault in not clarifying or requesting for explanation to what they have said. They always appeared in a hurry to get things done, perhaps they are just experienced, and used to passing reports speaking in ways that are not “slow” enough for me. Sorry for most of the times I did not dare ask for explanations and meanings of unfamiliar abbreviations.

Communication is of great importance in everything we do. Therefore I hope to communicate better.

With this, I wish to conclude my reflective writing for the day.

(putting the mirror and pen away)

Break over

Nearing the end of my semestral holidays now. Off for clinical posting on Monday!

Sigh, mixed feelings: excited that Year 2 is coming; reluctant to leave my hometown.

Well, every break needs to come to an end before I become "broken". People might start to turn functionless when they rest for too long, be it they feel it or not. Rest is for those who work. Thus I shall earn my rest.

Going to the hospital for 3 weeks. Hope it goes well.
Second clinical attachment as a student nurse.

At least I now have a less stressful environment in Singapore for sleeping. No need to live in constant fear of the monstress inhabiting Bishan! Will be living in Ang Mo Kio, somewhere near school. Many thanks to my cousin and her amazing landlady!

Leaving Kluang tomorrow, for 3 weeks of training. Kissing goodbye to nothing-to-do life in Kluang where my job is to meet meet meet with old friends and eat eat eat with them.

I will be back.

Walk with Me

Leading you,

walking with you;

Trust that, I am good.

Take my hand,

bring yourself

into a brighter world.

I do-

not fear the storms

that come

against you.

Been there;

I am here to lead you.

Find rest your soul,

come take my hand,

Walk with me.

© Joel Yap

Fool or Hypocrite

Fools show the world what they are;
Hypocrites try to show the world that they are what they are not.

竞争

大家都在忙着申请上大学的手续。

选择申请同样的大学时， 难免会有竞争。
但在朋友之间， 尤其是好朋友， 难免的事情难道真的就不能免一免吗？

自己想在心中理想的大学保的位 似乎已经比友情重要了。
想上大学没有错， 但如果因此而忘了助人的快乐之本， 会很开心吗？
假如连跟 “自己人” 都有很强的竞争心理， 那我便不敢知道 外面的世界是多么地丑陋！ 更不愿意了解到底为什么 人需要这么自私。
我们当然不能期望与世无争； 但如果有人因自己的利益而忘记， 甚至出卖朋友与家人， 我本身认为 这种人的生命太没意义了。

“现在不能帮你。”
真的不行吗？ 还是不愿意？
“以后我会帮， 就是现在不可以。”
等以后来临了， 再看一看你真的会不会出手。

大家都在忙着申请上大学的手续。 朋友之间， 互相帮助 一起努力， 好东西一起分享 好吗？

Foto Friday

Are you trapped behind unlocked cages?

All you need to do is set yourself free!

Walk, or remove the obstacles.

Joya photography

I am excited to bring to you Joya! An entry-level photographer who would love to share some photos with you.

Check out http://facebook.com/joya.photography and see if you like it.
Or you can visit the blog at http://joya-photography.blogspot.com/.