Morning Sniffles » Lung Center of the Philippines

The slow curve

morning sniffles — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:49:20 +0000

On the second day of my duty, I was reassigned at another ward. A private one. Most of the patients are VIPs.
For two consecutive days, my preceptor was a male nurse who I have noticed has a tendency to be lax. He always came in late for the endorsement and after the endorsement; he took five for his breakfast.
The nurses there are commenting that I am being abused by my preceptor. Honestly, I do not mind it at all. It is nothing compared to the abuse all the trainees have experienced at the Lung Center of the Philippines.
While it is true that we are not allowed to chart and to give medication to the patient at the institution, I think being asked to do so by the bedside nurse would not cost me an arm. Besides, I really feel futile by just sitting there, taking vitals and wheeling patients to and from the lab. Whether his reason by delegating to me his tasks was for me to learn or for him to get rid of them, I am up for it. I want excitement.
I do not have ill feelings about the staff nurses at my current ward assignment, but I think I need to do and learn more. Most of the patients in this ward are just there for executive or routine check ups. No special conditions. I want to handle level 2 and up patients as this is where my critical thinking will be tested.

Clear Lungs

morning sniffles — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:16:02 +0000

Part of the requirement for my apprenticeship program is the chest x-ray to ensure that none of us has a communicable disease. Although I have gotten mine about 2 months ago, I decided to have the test to ensure that I have not contracted any lung disorder when I was at the Lung Center of the Philippines.
After three days, I have gotten the result of my x-ray and I am pleasantly surprised to see that I have normal findings. After being exposed to pathogens, I only have God to thank for keeping me safe.

Licensed to be exploited

morning sniffles — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 03:24:18 +0000

The three-month training at the Lung Center of the Philippines has come to an end. We have had our case presentation and it went well, or so I thought.
I have asked around what are their plans after the training and mostly answered, they’ll be taking a break.
Our course in the ward might be short but it is long enough to drain our energy and interest.
We all feel that we paid to be enslaved. We are doing the bedside duties of the nurses and yes, even the nursing aid’s while they chill or sleep at night.
Although we have learned so many things, mostly on our own, we feel that we were pushed to the limit putting our endurance and patience to the test.
The irony is indeed palpable. Hospitals in the country lack nurses, yet they to do not hire instead they turn this problem into an entrepreneurship and ventured on draining poor nurse’s pocket. We understand that hiring additional workforce is out of budget but why collect fees for the so-called “training”?. The staff are fully aware of the big help the trainees give when they are around.
Instead of helping the nurses to land a job or at least get a decent hospital experience to land a job abroad, they chose to be vultures and rip their flesh off.
The government wants nurses to render service first here in the country before leaving for abroad but how can we do that if we are deprived of the opportunity?
We even opt to be volunteers just to gain hospital experience but most of the hospitals are too darn wise to make it as a profitable aspect of service. A total disservice indeed.
So now that my training is over, should I dish another serious amount to get into another training program? My answer would be a bitter yes but not at this very moment. I need to recharge financially and physically.
Sad to say, we are licensed to be exploited.

A soiree to remember

morning sniffles — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:55:22 +0000

In September, we shall be having our case presentation to end our 3-month basic skills training program. I am excited and that the same time sad because this is the end for the Lung Center experience and me. I am not going to be emotional here to I would focus on what will happen in September. It will be a soiree so we are expected to be in our best night gowns while the men are asked to be in their tuxedo jackets which I think will be awesome.

Greatest humilitation

morning sniffles — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:14:37 +0000

It was our second day of return demonstration and I came straight from my graveyard shift at work. I managed to brush through my notes before punching at LCP.

Yesterday’s demo went well. The preceptor was cool and he even laughed at my mistakes. I am really not good at speaking in front of people (maybe I am cursed to speak with people just over the phone).

Today is another day. I took the number one tab just to get it over with immediately so I could go straight home to rest. I was clueless that there’s a rear hole waiting for me down the demo hall.

Admittedly, I screwed up at some steps in performing tracheostomy care but for whatever that is worth, I do not deserve to be yelled at. We are all professionals. The reason I or we are there is to gain knowledge. This is not a collegiate school where it is okay to be howlered.

I paid up freaking six grand plus the uniform not to be humiliated in front of other students and preceptors. I was really close to crying and telling him that it is his job to teach me what is the right thing to do. I bet that he did worse when he was a trainee like me.

I want to stab him in the neck so that he could be intubated then I could perform tracheostomy care on him.

I just kept mum about it. It is not a dog-eat-dog system. I am scared that I would blow up my chance of getting a slot there. I had and have to be nice.

Lesson learned. Practice no maleficence and bring lots of patience.