WHATEVER

Went to the hospitals for the compulsory medical check-up few days ago. Gosh! What efficiency? What lesser waiting time? Just doing a urine test & a chest X-Ray took them 2 hours. Somemore they had to conduct these 2 simple tests in 2 different hospitals that are 10 minutes away from each other by driving, without traffic jam. WTH? Dad and I were famished by the time they were done. I still have to go back to the hospital for some raba-raba of dada physical check-up on the 9th. Gosh, another round of waiting.

Wei Meng's fav quote, "Human beings spend a third of their lives waiting..."

Too many patients too little seats. So the patients ended up crowding at the registration counter. In order to overwrite the background noise level, the nurses talked through a mic, which was connected to 2 amplifiers. They used that to call upon patient whose turn was next but they conveniently left the mic on while talking face to face to the ppl at the counter.

Now the WHOLE WORLD knows my name. Now the WHOLE WORLD knows I was there to do medical check-up. Now the WHOLE WORLD knows I did a urine test & a chest-X ray. They even put my urine test report so casually on the registration counter, with the results facing upwards, as if inviting the eyes of all to look. So now ALMOST the WHOLE WORLD also knows what my urine was composed of.

Privacy? Patient's confidentiality? My foot. What if I was there for STD? What if I was there for Methadone? What if I was there for teenage pregnancy???

Did I also mention that there is definitely no lining-up whatsoever culture here? I thought I should let the ppl who came before me to settle their issues first. So I waited patiently. But ppl who came after me kept squeezing in, and pushing me backwards. Why? Because they knew if they didn't, they would have to wait for as long as I did!

So I waited & waited and finally I was the one standing right in front of the counter. Did I get served immediately? No! I realized that the nurses did not care how early u came or how long u had waited. The priority of being greeted first was given to ppl with "hat". U have no "hat"? Then u wait lah! The nurses saw me waiting, but ignored me. Ppl who squeezed in later, but with "hat", got served although their issues were much more complicated when compared to mine. I just wanted to hand in my forms! The nurses rather went up & down searching for a lost medical card (of course of ppl with "hat" lah) than simply taking in my form. WTF? What's more, 6 to 7 nurses were sitting & CHIT-CHATTING at the table behind the busy counter. Were they blind that they couldn't see the huge crowd forming? What were they paid for??? WTFFFFF!!!??

Effective patient communication doesn't matter here. The nurses got impatient, irritated & annoyed freaking farking super easily. U only accept what they have told u. U don't ask questions. They start frowning with that kinda "Apa lagi?? Bodohlah engkau!!" facial expression the moment u deliver the 2nd question. Can u imagine the fear & inferiority some elderly patients, particularly those who can barely speak Malay, must have felt? As if they have done something extremely wrong! So they stop asking question. So they stop telling problems. So they dun understand what their drugs are for. So they dunno how & when to take their medications. So they become incompliant. So they dun tell even when their medications are causing troubles. So they continue/stop taking medicaitons. So they die of taking the inappropriate/not taking medications!!!!! Can u see how serious the problem can become???!!

WHAT A SHAME!!!!!

Pls, nurses! Remember ur role as a healthcare proffessional. Remember ur passion & aspiration when u first entered the field. Remember urself as a role-model to ur juniors. Remember that u are here to serve!!

I love this country. It is totally heart-breaking to see the healthcare system in this state. I hope changes could be made. I hope attitudes could be rectified. I hope one day, all of us could feel proud of the healthcare system in our country...