A letter for the clerks (med students)
Dear Clerks,
In behalf of my colleagues (staff nurses and co-volunteers), I am writing to express my feelings towards you. Please recharge yourselves with understanding and empathy because this letter is not written just to catch anyone’s attention. This is a letter to serve as a reminder… or probably a lesson to some of you.
First of all, we, volunteer nurses, are not your slaves. You can not just reprimand us whenever you want because we are not under your supervision. If you would like to request something that you want us to do for you, you can always ask us in a good way. Remember the word, “please” or “paki” in Tagalog? I don’t think it is right to raise your eyebrows while talking to us. We always give you respect. Is it hard to do the same thing?
Second, nurses have their own assessment. We have our own nursing process. We have our own brains. We won’t be able to get our own LICENSES if we don’t know how to assess. You can clarify our assessments with us but I don’t think it is proper to criticize our assessments as if we’re like grade school students. We accept criticisms but just the constructive ones. Just because you are a MEDICAL STUDENT, it doesn’t mean you are always right. Remember, we are LICENSED NURSES. You don’t have a single license yet… probably just a driver’s license? I may sound bragging here but that’s what you actually did to us. You bragged that your assessment is so much better than us. Pfft. Okay, I will let this pass but always remember that karma strikes back really fast.
Third, nurses are supposedly your allies. Don’t treat us as if you’re the one who’s paying us. You are not our god. Just because we follow your orders, you’d treat us, again, like your slaves. Geez. You’re still on your med school and as early as now, you don’t know how to collaborate with us in a good way, in the right way. How will you be able to attain the good nurse-doctor relationship in the future if you don’t know to apply good manners and right conduct now?
Fourth, my hand is not a trash bin. And once a pair of gloves is used, it is considered unsterile. Can you explain this to me? Why in the world you threw the used gloves on my hands? What’s your purpose of doing it to me? Is it because I AM JUST A MERE VOLUNTEER NURSE? I really don’t get it. You are a very, very rude clerk. Sorry to say but you won’t be one of those doctors that the nurses and the patients will look up to. You would probably be the doctor who only wants to earn money. That’s all. Nothing more, nothing less.
Fifth, our nurse supervisor deserves respect from anyone of us. You were confronted to teach you a lesson. How dare you to disrespect our nurse supervisor. Is that what your parents taught you? To shout at the elders? I think you should go back to your grade school to learn more about RESPECT.
Sixth, to all the clerks who are very, very nice, I salute you. To all the clerks whom I’ve seen with real compassion and dedication with their work, I am proud of you. It sucks that I envy you for being a med student. I’ve always wanted to be a doctor. You actually encouraged me to continue my dreams but I guess, being a nurse is what God really wants me to be. But really, thank you for the bonding time. Thank you. :) I know and I feel that you will be great doctors someday. Good luck and God bless.
Seventh, to you… it hurts me to know that you have a girlfriend. I wish we could have talked more often than just looking at each others’ eyes. Hahaha! I am just kidding. My boyfriend will get mad for posting this seventh message. Please disregard this paragraph. XD
Well, that’s all. I hope that you take this letter into consideration. Till here. See you tomorrow at the ward.
Respectfully yours,
My name is Xyla, a 24-year-old Filipina unemployed registered nurse. I am a freelance writer for a nursing magazine of a review center. I aim to be a nurse leader in the future. With only 12 units left in my Master's Degree (Major in Medical-Surgical Nursing), I am ready to teach nursing students. During my past time, I kill Zombies, plant Cherry Bombs, Marigold and Melon Pult and make cheesy stuff for my boyfriend. I firmly justify that I am not too old for Glee-addiction. I hate prepositions. They make my life complicated.
wow! Easy ka lang ate. :D
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Oh my. I was quite bothered by the way they treat people, especially those who are supposed to be their allies. If they have that kind of attitude, what kind of treatment would their patients get? :|
Macy’s last blog post..Tadaima
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yan din ung cnasabi nung mga CI namin. pero sabi ng CI namin, ung mga clerks daw hanggang tingin lang assessment. physiologic lang. pero ang nurses lahat ng pwede sakupin, kukuhanan ng info :D. kaya kumuha ako ng nursing as my pre med, para may malaking background na ko sa mga gagawin sa hospital :D
Karizza’s last blog post..Penitensya
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a med STUDENT did that to you? and yelled at the nurse supervisor?? wow! T_T
I laughed at the seventh-part… XD
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Ate Xy, gwapo? buti na lang may good side din siya ^^
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Chad, I was referring to different clerks. Hindi iisa lang. Hehe.
Rain, hehe!
Rich, yeah. LOL
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grabe naman yung iba sa atin parang nakatungtong na sa kalabaw wala pa man eh. excited much. hay. kakadisappoint sila.
ishy’s last blog post..Confession
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To think na med students palang sila and yet ganyan na ugali nila… Tsk tsk…
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hi, from GT here. :) blog hopping. hehe..
anyway, i totally agree with your post. i can relate because i’m a nursing grad too. but not an RN yet. ;) just because they are “med students” or even doctors eh they can treat nurses as if they are superior to the point that they can command you to do something without a tone of respect, courtesy or consideration. nurses and doctors might have different job descriptions, but they all work for the same cause and should bear in mind that in the hospital setting, as PROFESSIONALS, they must be guided with the right conduct and ethics. i guess the person you were referring to in this post has forgotten about that. or maybe, he might be “educated” in medschool but definitely lacks formation in attitude and character. that is most essential in being a doctor, and sad to say, he is not worthy.
cheer up! :) huwag nalang magpadala sa mga taong ganyan.
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That’s one rude med student there. Dx I’m surprised you have the patience to keep up with his/her bullshit. That kind of rudeness should not be tolerated.
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It sounds to me that they don’t realize they CAN’T function without us. Doctors should treat their allies well ’cause the are a TEAM. That attitude is most expected to be learned by medical students. How large could their heads get when they already have their licenses? What the hell? Hahaha XD
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wow! students pa lang ganun na sila… what more if they’re working already na? nakakahiya sila… parang di sila tinuruan ng good manners… :c
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Whoa. I can very much relate to this. :P It is quite disappointing that SOME junior interns think too highly of themselves. X( When I was still a student nurse, I witnessed one med student who asked, or rather ordered my group mate to THROW the used urinary catheter away. Our CI had to confront that junior intern and told her that we are not maids.
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