Indexing Title: NALUDINOs Medical Anecdotal Report [06-05]

MAR Title: The hazards of being a doctor

Date of Medical Observation: June 9, 2006

Narration:

                While everybody was busy with scheduled operations, I was with my co-residents manning the surgery emergency room. Suddenly, the doors of the emergency room, flew open and in comes this big man. He had a stab wound at the right upper quadrant. We immediately put the man on bed and instituted emergency measures.

                The patient had stable vital signs, not in distress physically, emotionally, it was a different story. He was a broken man. Lying in front of us is a man, narrating in between sobs how his brother stabbed him.

                After making sure that the man was in stable condition, we ordered for an upright chest x-ray. Everything appeared to be routine until the formerly emotionally distressed man came rushing back to emergency room enraged. He was shouting at us, demanding that we remove all his intravenous lines. When asked why, he said that he was transferring to another hospital. He wanted be brought to the operating room immediately. “Hindi niyo ba nakikita na may tama ako? Bakit ayaw niyo pa ako operahan?”

                We tried to explain to him that we already managing him and that an operation was not immediately needed, he started shouting invectives at us. Honestly, I though that this man would attack us and put us all in danger. One part of me was already thinking on how to look out for my companions at the ER. An enraged man would definitely be hard to control. Fortunately, it stayed just a shouting monologue for him.  Seeing that no one was willing to reciprocate his angst he stormed out of the emergency room.              

Insights (Physical, Psychosocial, Ethical) (Discovery, Stimulus, Reinforcements):

                 Is man intrinsically evil? What would drive a man to kill his own brother? These are philosophical questions that affect us one way or the other. The same patient we examined at the emergency room must have been dealing with the same questions. We must always keep an open mind and try to adjust to the each and every patient.

                Every patient has his own reasons for his actions. We may or may not be able to fathom their logic. No matter what their reasons might be we must always try to keep our reactions in check. 

                Although we must tolerate some rudeness directed at us, it is a different matter all together when our safety is jeopardized. The physician must always keep in mind his safety when administering aid to others who are in need. If the caregiver becomes a victim who is left to give medical care?