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Sunday 24 August 2008

SUR2: of accidents and emergencies (or lack thereof)

Accident&Emergency block ended, and so did the Olympics. Felt barely a couple of days ago that i was watching the Olympics opening ceremony. Well, half of it anyway.

Having been posted to A&E in the mornings, there wasn't really much too see. There weren't that many cases to observe, and most of the time we ended up just standing around the Review Clinic waiting for patients to come in (which mostly never did). For a hospital that boasts of unrivalled pre-hospital care, Ninewells's A&E department does seem quiet in the mornings.

Most of the patients we saw were during the ward rounds, where half the cases were overdoses, while the other half were trauma/falls. Nothing major i witnessed, but that probably is because i didn't stay around during the evening when patient admissions peak. The one night i did stay though, there was this late middle-aged lady who got drunk and overdosed herself. Pretty worked up and kept trying to leave the ward, at one point i had to try to keep her in bed as well. Haha. Oh and the security guards were called in. And they were.. HUGE. First time i have to lift my head up so high just to look at them. That was the most interesting it got anyway. Maybe i should go at nights again next week.

The consultants and registrars have been very cheerful and friendly here, almost exactly the opposite of what i would expect had it been in Malaysia. Joked around a lot, and i think that's a good thing. At least the patients don't feel uptight where everyone's so serious about everything. But i guess probably it's because they're less stressed here, Scotland being much less populated than Britain. Good thing the patients here get all the attention. If only Malaysia can reach this standard, instead of making the doctors do on-calls for 36 hours straight. But that'd be blamed on the lack of doctors, with that being caused by the exploitations long on-calls making doctors not wanting to come back. Catch-22, eh.

Starting Anaesthesia block for next week, something i had been looking forward to since i've been pretty interested in it. Funny enough, the first reason i took interest in anaesthesia is because of an article on the newspaper, an anaesthesiologist talking bout the lack of anaesthesiologists in Malaysia. Of course, being the young, naive and patriotic boy back then, i pretty much vowed myself to become one and serve the country. I'm still the same after these years, but somehow, i'm more inclined to stay here instead, at least for a while.

Probably due to the childishness that is Malaysian politics. Guess i don't have to say much for every other Malaysian to know what's happening back home, seems to have escalated into some hypocritical competition. Like, someone offering Datukship while the other offers money to an Olympic silver medalist. I mean, why pull the ones watching on the side into this already dirty field. Sigh, if only they're as 'passionate' in serving the rakyat. For now (and as before), i don't know which side is worse. Everything, everyone's just a big mess.

--

Wouldn't go into that. On to brighter news, Adrian just organised a BBQ for us at his place. Very yummy food, made me miss all the BBQs we used to have. Big Night Outs .. that had been fun. I have a feeling that the BNOs for the British involve a hell lot more alcohol and cigarattes here though. Like, uh.. Carnage UK's coming to Dundee! (viewer discretion advised)

Culture shock would have been an understatement. Haha. At first i thought it'd be a great fun party, but now.. uh, let's say that's a little too 'fun' :P.

Seems a little long (and off-track) now, better sleep soon. Till next then, have a great week peeps.

ps - little known fact: Ninewells Hospital (Dundee's main hospital) has its own series on BBC! Which ran for 6 episodes, centred on the A&E department. Complete with drama-like opening title some more haha. Pity i couldn't find it anywhere on the net to torrent .. (we were shown some parts of a few episodes though heh)

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