Tired Doc

There is an interesting topic over at MMR site, about "Tired of being a doctor". Frankly, I think doctors in Malaysia should be allowed to do calls under shift system, and each shift should not be more than 8 hours. And for every 3 night shifts, a doctor should be given days off to recuperate.

Just like yesterday, I had a bad call -- non-stop from 5pm till this morning 6am: 5 intubations, 3 periphery referrals, 1 emergency peritoneal dialysis for acute renal failure (but lucky to escape one exchange transfusion as the serum bilirubin came down at the right time!)... and there u are, I am still in the ward, with my zombified look, and bilateral ptosis, barely could think logically anymore -- so after finish preparing all the chemo drugs and discharge summaries, I am already half-dead here in my ward; luckily it is not so hectic in my ward today -- 25 patients, me alone, no houseman (my colleague needs to be at the Spastic Rehab Centre to help out in the weekly consultation).

Stomach growling, vision blurring, hands trembling -- luckily my nurses are nice enough to spare me with one piece of their roti canai they ordered earlier on! How pathetic! ;)

And worse of all, like what the MMR site states

“…The medicolegal position is that an error made while you are tired is still an error. Tiredness is no defence…”

So now u ask me, if my son asked me what he should be when he grew up, I would tell him anything except being a doctor! ;) Well... but if he somehow likes to be a doc, I will give him my full support too!

MyChingo

Just added MyChingo audio comment system to my blog. So any of you who would like to leave a comment, and let me hear your sweet voice... ur all welcome! :)

Daro Relieving

I was MIA for the past few days 'coz I was relieving at Daro Hospital for a week. That was my 3rd time going to this small town, 3-hour boat ride up the Rejang river. Very isolated place, but the people there are really nice and friendly. Broadband internet was something I missed the past one week; though the hospital has a dial-up service, it was like ages ago since i ditched the dial-up and got so used to broadband surfing experience! ;) But anyway, at least I could still check my emails... nothing more than that, the line was just toooooo slow!

This is the kind of express boat I took to Daro. RM17 per trip. But the aircond wasn't really working well, on my trip back home... Felt dizzy in the boat -- too warm! Like an incubator...

And this was a picture I drew with my Axim x50v, using PocketArtist -- at times, it could be dead boring there!