Monday, May 18, 2009

More labour room blues

From my experience and observation so far, Chinese patients have the lowest level of pain tolerance during labour. Don't ask me why, I duno. Today got stuck again in another scenario where I reassured a patient in preterm labour and gave her some N2O for pain relief, patient just grabbed me by the arm refusing to let me go (for 1 hour), asking me to stay with her. I think this happened to the extent that doctors and staff nurses who entered the room was wondering whether I am the patient's relative. She requested for me to deliver her baby, but it was not to materialise, coz a senior staff nurse (one who appears to stride with authority in the labour room, that even housemen and other nurses look up to her) ticked me off, "What are you doing to my patient?!". Instead, she asked me to quickly open the delivery pack as she delivered the baby.

For a moment, I was quite upset lar.. wasted one afternoon. But then, it turned out that the patient was so grateful to me, that out of nowhere she requested for my phone number. I was like, "Its my pleasure and job to help you, just a simple thank you will do lar..why you want my number? No need lar.." She repeatedly kept pestering me in Mandarin, "I am really relieved and thankful to you for staying by my side through it all. Other doctors don't really bother about me, they just drop by for a while and left. But I really really insist you write your number down for me leh, I must show my appreciation and gratitude for what you did.."

Problem was I gave in to her, so I duno whether any medico-legal or ethical issue involved or not lor.. any advice?

1 comment:

Yi Yi said...

maybe the mother wants u to become 'kai ye' (godfather) to the baby leh~