Dressing Room and Home Nursing

These two days I went through 'Dressing' and 'Home Nursing' postings in Primary care medicine, saw a few patients who make me so sad after seeing their conditions.

It is normal to see a lot of patients waiting to have their dressing or take off their suture (Suture to off/STO) in dressing room. I am a clumsy people, simple steps of cleaning wounds would take me a long time. My dad told me before that I am not going to be a good doctor if I even cannot console them when they are in pain or uncomfortable. I had the chance to clean the wound on finger for my dad at home last time and of course I did it so badly. It made me feel ashame of myself as a medical student.

Yesterday, I started to clean a carbuncle wound under nurse's supervision. Luckily, the nice uncle did not complain of my poor technique. However, the nurse commented that I should not too nervous and fast since I was new yet. If not, patients would not reduce their pain and suffer in the end. As a future doctor, I should not cause any harm to patients even I can't help them so much now. Here, I feel very sorry to uncles and aunties who is 'unlucky' to be taken blood by me last friday. My lack of experience cause some of them had to be suffer from the needle twice. :-( I know they have the rights not to be taken blood by medical students unnecessary. The only solution for this problem is.......I have to practice more and gain experience. Practice makes perfect mah...

There are a lot of diabetic patients. Mostly are due to the diabetic foot problems and have amputation of their toes or whole foot. There were burn and post-operation patients too. This was also my first experience of seeing severe bed sore wound. Some of them are in pain, some are on wheel chairs.

The most severe I saw during yesterday morning is a chinese elderly man who is paralysis. He is unable to move or talk and on tracheostomy. He had a big bed sore and I heard that he was taken care by people in nursery home before he was brought back by his daughter. I feel pity of him (instead I feel pity for everyone who is sick) because he has to suffer from all those pain and can't even talk out his true feeling. In my mind, everyone should have the rights to be healthy and enjoy their life. However, after practical in hospital for more than one year, this make me feel that sometime life is miserable and unpredictable.

Today went to 4 patients' houses for home nursing. To my surprise, we also went to the house of that patient. He seems to have a lot of other medical problems. Luckily, his daughter takes good care of him, learning the methods to clean his wounds, reduce the pain and complications he would have and try to get any medication he needs. Deep in my mind, I am respect the family members who are so patient to take care ill patients. This reminds me of the strong power of family support. :-)