C4 here I come

I'm working at old medical block now. It is a male ward for patient with chronic illnesses. Basically, I'm taking care of nephro, PTB, HIV patients and others that transferred from the new block. As usual, there is 2 housemen in the ward. Julian and I were previously at the same ward. And yet,now we are posted to the same ward again. The funniest part is that even my medical officer is transferred to the same ward. This is pretty rare in my hospital. This means that he is going to be my boss from day 1 to the last day of my medical posting. Haha... Same people, just different environment and staff nurses. There are around 30 patients in the ward. It means that each of us takes care of 15 patients. However, the work load is lesser compared to aras. There is less blood and radiographic investigation. And the houseman does not need to clerk new case at the emergency department. There is no mo round during the weekend. I finish my job earlier.

This means I have more free time. Initially, it is difficult to adjust myself from a hectic lifestyle to a more relaxing environment. I found that I start eating and sleeping more and gain weight. I start going for gym, shopping, cell group, dinner...etc. At least, life is not about working.

I'm going to finish my medicine posting soon. Im looking forward my end posting holiday. I really hope to go for travelling. Anyone interested, kindly inform.... :)

Life as a houseman

• leave your house before sunrise & back house after sunset
• work 7 days a week including weekend and public holidays
• BD rounds /day (for medicine only)
• write down whatever your boss said during ward round
• complete the task that ordered by ur boss
• clerk cases
• take blood & set branula
• run or even rush for x-ray, ultrasound, ct scan...
• oncall-work for 2 days 1 night
• 'entertain' patients, boss & hospital staff
• stay chill even being scolded
• life is about sleep, work, eat
• holiday is a priviledge, but not right

Housemanship

I'm back. Firstly, I would like to apologize for not blogging for months. There were some major changes in my life. I started working at malacca. New place meant new life. It could be miserable. But, so far so good. It was not my first time to settle down at a new town. And, I was not totally alone. I still had ivern staying with me, n dear chai jiun hanging out with me.... Glad to have u gals with me for the most challenging moment in my life. U only never understand powerful of familiar faces.

I was at the medical department for the past 2 months. Things started to settle down. At least I had a house at malacca, knew what to do in the ward, and how to function as a houseman. I was no longer a lost lamb that did not know the final destination. I was no longer struggled. Clerking patient, indent medication and blood taking had become finger tips. Pleural tapping, CVP line insertion and peritoneal dialysis yet to be explored. I still could remember the first day I started my round. A patient ended up to have UGIB. Blood was everywhere. I was shocked when I faced this. I did nothing. My superior probably was mad at me. However, he did not say anything. My first call was at day 16 old. I was screwed for not indent the old medications at the drug chart. Actually, I was afraid to do it. I was still not sure about the medication used. I afraid that my mistake would do harm to the patient. And my first patient that asconded after I saw her at the A&E. She pulled her branula out and ran away. I stood there n paused for few minutes before I seek for help. She should have asconded before I clearked her. Haha..Oh ya, my first pleural tap in front of medical students. Luckily, MO next door came and rescued me.. and so on....

I was no longer at my the ward I used to be for the past 2 months. I was at the clinic for 1 week before I went to the male ward. I really enjoyed the office hour when I was at the clinic. It started at 8+am and finished at around 4-5pm. There was around 100-200 patients every day waiting for u. What I did was seeing patient non-stop like a robot. And yet I felt the job was more relaxing compared to ward work.

Life as a houseman is never ending. And yet, so many things are waiting for me!