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Rhona Canoy

SO… My mom and dad were both in hospital recently and I got a chance to observe hospital care at close hand. Considering the vast number of nurses and caregivers our country exports to elsewhere, I thought we would be in for a treat. Boy, was I wrong.

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Filipino health care providers (doctors, nurses, caregivers) are highly valued all over the world. And we cater to this by sending out thousands and thousands to fill this desire. I thought it would be a short leap to assume that they only take outside what they already practice here in our country. So now I’m mystified. Please, before all you “wonderful” nurses and such condemn me in a flurry of Facebook posts and Tweets, hear me out. I am not questioning your competency. As far as competent goes, you are mostly without question.

What most of you doctors and nurses overlook is this very important fact–when we mere mortals end up in your care (especially the in-hospital kind), we are already distressed and filled with fear. Illness no matter how light or severe, challenges our unconscious belief in our immortality and we are therefore faced with the possibility of our early departure from the face of this earth. Although we trust your ability to be able to address our medical needs implicitly, we also look to you for reassurance that our life shall go on.

The millennials who man the nurses stations in each and every hospital are rated and gauged on competency, as it should be. But in listening to their banter each time I walk by, I hear jubilation because someone has been accepted to some foreign post. I hear drive from those who have submitted their documents to some placement agency or other. Most apparent, I hear hope from those just beginning to fulfill their work requirements as they work towards their goal of earning dollars. So I wonder, did they become nurses because of an inherent desire to serve? Or to avail of opportunities abroad? Please don’t say both, because there can only be one  number one reason.

The constant complaint is that nurses don’t make enough money if they stay here in country. (Quite a similar lament that we hear from our teachers… well, pretty much from everybody actually.) So my question is this–does the better service miraculously appear as soon as they get paid in dollars? And from whence does it come? The important elements of compassion, kindness and consideration seem to be missing from our highly competent doctors and nurses. Yes, I understand that to you it’s just a job, and it cost a lot of money to get the training for it. Yes, I understand all that. But you hold my future in your hands while I’m under your care.

And as I lie in bed with hoses and needles and tubes and whatnot invading my corporeal housing, I need to see a small twinkle in your eye since that’s the only thing not covered by your mask. I need to hear in your voices some soft cheerful tone to reassure me that things are all right and I will leave the hospital with my heart still beating and my lungs regularly filling with air. I need to know that you are concerned that I may not get enough rest and that you will try to keep your voices down in spite of whatever exciting news you have to share with your co-nurses. I need to feel your gentleness as you adjust my various needles, tubes and hoses. I need you to be aware that I can hear even though I may appear unconscious, and so discuss my condition and situation softly and with discretion.

Even those of us go through this experience as observers and watchers of our dearly beloved ones who are in sickness. We are even more helpless and we are acutely aware of this and so we submit ourselves to your knowledge and skill. But I do have one very urgent and serious request. While my mom is in your care, treat her with compassion, dignity and respect.

Or else I will hunt you down and make you regret you ever wanted to be a nurse or doctor… for as long as either you or I live… whoever lasts longest.

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