One day, we are studying how to deal with patients, and another day, we are posted in a hospital ward, all alone, to deal with them in real life. I still remember when I was posted for the first time, we were asked to collect the history of the patient in a format, but we could not write it while you are taking the history, which was the rule to develop keen observation skills. It was such a hard task at that time. I was so nervous looking at a room full of patients, the chaos, and I was in the corner at the end of the room, thinking when the 2 hours would be over.
I was very shy and never liked talking too much with people, but then I entered this profession, and I realized the power of communication holds. Many times, patients seek some comforting words, someone to talk to, someone with whom they can share their good and bad stories of life, and communication helps in building trust, and it boosts our self-confidence. Communicating with patients really helps me understand that the medical field is beyond treatment; it creates human connections!
In theory, we are taught ideal conditions, various articles, instruments, and devices, but in real life, when we see in India, especially in community health care center the, even the basic instruments are unavailable. Sterilization of instruments after use is still a dream in many places. The need for family planning and women’s empowerment is much more than the text or any theory can tell us. The profession calls us to be resourceful, and if we work in a community setting, there is no other option than to be resourceful. This teaches us that the ideal situation is only in textbook outside the book, it’s very rare to be in an ideal situation.
What lessons did you learn when you stepped up as a professional?
MBH/AB