Day 1 at Work

Does it sound like it's my first day as a doctor? don't drop your jaws, it isn't as glamorous. But at the same time not that unglam... My first day at the hospital as a temporary triage staff who takes patients' and visitors' temperature and particulars at the entrances of the premises. H1N1 is getting more serious here, with the latest increment to 27 cases. But does that signal to our never ending job? Yesterday, the health minister revealed that the country will be gradually changing their strategy towards mitigating spread of virus, instead of containment. All temperature taking measures will be redundant in minimising spread. So let say if there are communal spread in the public, will we still be needed at these entrances of the hospital? Yes, all the worry for my job, for now. Later, I'll start to worry when my family and friends are more prone to catching the virus in public. What about stopping NS because of H1N1?

I woke up at 6.30am and left the house at 7, took me about an hour to reach the workstation. Getting used to the environment was an easy task. The moment I reach the entrance, 'wow its a hospital'. So not much of a fuss. I initiated around the reception desk, and subsequently sat there, watching the thermal scanner like a zombie, and had a good laugh with fellow colleagues. Awhile on, we went for a training conducted by the hospital's HR dept at the neighbouring auditorium. We had a good laugh too. Half of the audience of about 80 - 100 were blind folded; I was one of them. The other half will come back into the hall and found themselves each a partner. These partners, became the Service Providers, weren't suppose to communicate a word with their 'established blind man'. Later, the SPs would hold onto their arm, guide them the way through thick and thin, going up and down flight of stairs, and after about 15mins we were led back to our seats. There was no room for cheating by the way, integrity was held in the way. I felt a total lost, dependent, and had given a full trust for the one leading me the way. So that's actually the aim of the training - to let us understand how the patients feel when they're at the life's most critical point, and have to make them trust you for your service, making their kins sure they're dealt with at good hands.

After lunch, I was transferred to another station. This time, hell not, I was given the best seat of all. Devi hit the 'B' button on the elevator, and upon stepping out of the lift, many huge water pipes for NEWater, normal water supply, sewage pipes, and electrical wire tracks could be seen. There I was, at the basement of a hospital, where the unseen could be seen. After a few good 300m of walking, we finally found the workstation. Devi said: "Okay, you'll be stationed here with another guy. Eh you look there, it's the mortuary." Oh gosh! That's the respond I had for that moment, knowing that I'll be there till 9pm. However, everything went alright and in good state until about half plus four. Being the basement, as I said, all unseen could well be seen, and there I saw something not usually seen - a corpse, being pushed on a wheeled stretcher on its way to the mortuary, accompanied by some next-of-kins or relatives. I didn't really see the body, or rather, the body was put underneath the 'bed' and was covered by a PVC material so it was hard to be seen, even after several tries to peep in. There was not just one, but three, between the first and the last at about 7pm. I guess it is a daily ritual till the extent that the staff have gotten so used to it that it doesn't matter for them to even spend their night in the mortuary (but surely outside of the fridges).

To add on to the thrill, we were chatting on the topic of paranormal, which sparked some needless chill down our spines. But interestingly so. One malay female security guard, who was seated by our side, and stationed there, told us about her past experience. According to her, the security guards don't have to just secure the premises. Some at ******dra Hospital have to wrap the dead body, carry them, and push them to the mortuary, that was the reason she didn't take up a job there. Though she didn't, she could see 'things'. At a chinese traditional funeral at her void deck, she could see figures without eyes and broken legs, just to say a few, sitting by the roadside at one herd and many others, moving around the empty field next to the block, heading towards the funeral. At that time she was arriving home on a taxi, so she asked the driver did he see anything unusual. 'No', he said. That's when she know she has a third eye. After that, she repeatedly described our current location, with much hand gestures, that some spirit may be there, there, and there, and on our table. I could have sprung up and pushed back my computer chair, but did not instead. There were a few more stories which I don't think is, say child-safe, unsuitable here. But all I would say is, again, be safe than sorry.

At the end of the shift, we left the building, leaving only one male security guard on duty. He is used to it, anyway. Those stuff isn't in his mind, so he didn't worry nor seeing anything unusual during the darkest hour.

When I reach home, I was utterly exhausted. I went into bed immediately after bath, and bathing time was immediately after I entered the house. No thoughts on those stuff though, that's the norm of a typical life, the operation of a hospital, and seeing the usually-unseen stuff was already enough to be an eye-opener and a bonus for working at a hospital, which I otherwise wouldn't get the chance to be there getting paid while exploring the ever on-going facts and the interest in me, without being a doctor or a nurse. It will be a life's experience, I would say. I'm now getting ready for Day 2! Depending on my state of mind, I'll see if I'll blog. =)