Index title:  EESTONILO’s MAR [06-04]

MAR Title: Compassion Fatigue

Date of  medical observation: Jan, 2003

Narration: 

 Look at today’s newspaper. Watch the evening news. Chances are you’ll see problems ranging from small robberies to murder. Most of which are rooted on poverty. Serving in a government hospital, our sense of compassion is often challenged. We are often faced with patients who are indigent, and unable to provide for themselves. 

One ER duty, I encountered an elderly man who came in due to DOB, one of the nurses recognized him as a constant patient. The nurse commented that he got used to the free services that he no longer bothered to bring anything needed for his treatment on each visit. 

            I ignored her comments and proceeded to do my PE, and decided to nebulize the patient. So I ordered the nurse to assist the patient.My heart poured out to the old man when he was asked by the nurse to buy his meds. He was told that the hospital can no longer provide for him care. I cannot forget the helpless look on his face and was suddenly filled with anger and shame. I can’t help but feel angry at the nurse who was giving my patient a hard time.I took action and got the meds myself and gave the nurse an irate glare. When my patient was relieved, we had a short conversation.  

I then learned that he was a diagnosed case of COPD for a year, and was living by himself. During each attack he would walk his way towards the hospital. I then gave him a sandwich and a little amount of money before sending him home.

Insights (Physical, Psychosocial, Ethical) (Discovery, Stimulus, Reinforcement) 

It’s easy to throw in the towel when there seems to be no end to the needs of others and our efforts appears to wake little or no difference. And it seems a never ending cycle of agony each time we encounter a certain patient.Compassion fatigue can poison our attitudes and make us loose our understanding of others’ situation. Often we make our own conclusions and create our own beliefs of how these people run their lives.

 To us, they are irresponsible citizens who do not take effort to be able to provide for themselves. But how much do we really know?I hope once in a while we can reflect on how we approached our patients and see if we still put effort to show compassion. 

•         “Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart”-Galatians 6:9. Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good for all, especially those within our reach…our patients.