It's been a while I last made a post. This year, I planned on keeping a nice posting streak, but then, for the past few days, I've been quite busy with my profession.
So, for the next few days, I'll share stories of my experience in the hospital and how I think patients can be better behaved towards their health and health professionals.
Today's story is about signing against medical advice. This literally means not heeding to the advice provided by the health team.
Yesterday, I came very close to receiving a punch to my face because I asked a patient who refused proper medical care, to pay up his bills before leaving the hospital. How did we get here? Lemme entertain you.
Yesterday, I reported to the unit for my night duty. Upon arrival, I saw that the evening duty nurse was caring for a patient who had 1st degree burns. The affected area was quite large.
She was having difficulties with the case, so, she requested for a hand, which I gave. I continued the care from where she stopped. Cleaned the injury and applied the necessary things needed. After dressing, IV medications were administered, and patient was left in a comfortable position, waiting for the doctor on call to come review.
Before the first IV fluid finished, patient began to request to go home. I talked to him about the importance of finishing the fluid, and he decided to do as I said.
Before long, the patient brought up the same case of leaving the hospital, this time, he was quite annoyed. All efforts to make him relax failed, so, I had to stall time for the doctor on call to come and review. This stalling made him shout a lot but then, I think I was doing it for his own betterment because he needed the IV fluid.
The doctor came, reviewed, and wrote some medications which was supposed to last for three days. I updated the patient about the doctors treatment plan, but the patient became more aggressive. According to him, he wants to leave the hospital because he left his shop open. I proposed he call someone to lock it for him, but he refused.
He also refused the medications given to him by the hospital. According to him, the hospital's medicine are very expensive as compared to when he buys from local medication vendors. He asked me to write out the medications so he can buy outside which I refused. I explained that if I do that, I would be going against the rules of the hospital, but the patient refused to see things from my perspective.
He was shouting in the hospital all through. Somebody that was supposed to be resting and let his relative do these things for him. I told him that he needs to get some rest, but that was like adding fuel to the already burning room.
Welp, all my efforts to get this patient to continue receiving care were futile, so, I called the accountant and his bill was made. This became another issues as patient stated that the bill was much. Patient and relative were shouting at me, the nurse and also the doctor on call who came to calm him down. It was quite a scene yesterday. He almost absconded, thankfully, my orderly alerted the security at the gate to not allow him leave the hospital without a written and signed note from me.
After much forh and back, they settled their bills and left the facility. They created a scene yesterday. I'm just hoping that they go to a well equipped facility for proper management and not road side medication vendors.
Thank you'd do reading.
Image is mine.