We may boast of having first class infrastructure and the like in our country, but sadly, I find that Malaysia still has a long way to go in achieving a first class mentality to go along with what we already have. Case in point:
We were at Hospital University Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM) last night as a close relative was in a critical condition. Family members were there to say goodbye to him. He was not in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) but in an ordinary ward. As the evening passed and his condition steadily deteriorated, we all knew he could not last the night, it was just a matter of time when he passed on.
At 9.30pm, the security guard asked all non-immediate family members to leave the ward. That was not a problem. We waited outside the ward, in the corridor where benches were placed for people to wait.
At 10.00pm, the nurses said that even his family members could not be at his bedside, only two would be allowed inside the ward as they were locking the door. And we could not even wait outside the ward - we were told that we had to leave as it was beyond hospital operating hours.
Hello? The man only had a few more moments to live, and you forbid his children from being at his side at this critical moment? And you don't allow them to wait outside the ward too? If only Malaysians could be more understanding as to when the rules may be bent a little. Had the nurses and security guards of the Oncology ward been a little more understanding, the man's family - all of them - would have been able to be at his side when he passed away just a little after 10.10pm. From 10.00pm to 10.10pm it was only a few more minutes. Why couldn't they have seen that and shown more empathy?
First class facilities, third class mentality. How Malaysian.
We were at Hospital University Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM) last night as a close relative was in a critical condition. Family members were there to say goodbye to him. He was not in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) but in an ordinary ward. As the evening passed and his condition steadily deteriorated, we all knew he could not last the night, it was just a matter of time when he passed on.
At 9.30pm, the security guard asked all non-immediate family members to leave the ward. That was not a problem. We waited outside the ward, in the corridor where benches were placed for people to wait.
At 10.00pm, the nurses said that even his family members could not be at his bedside, only two would be allowed inside the ward as they were locking the door. And we could not even wait outside the ward - we were told that we had to leave as it was beyond hospital operating hours.
Hello? The man only had a few more moments to live, and you forbid his children from being at his side at this critical moment? And you don't allow them to wait outside the ward too? If only Malaysians could be more understanding as to when the rules may be bent a little. Had the nurses and security guards of the Oncology ward been a little more understanding, the man's family - all of them - would have been able to be at his side when he passed away just a little after 10.10pm. From 10.00pm to 10.10pm it was only a few more minutes. Why couldn't they have seen that and shown more empathy?
First class facilities, third class mentality. How Malaysian.
2 comments:
i agree with all the entries here except this one...
the reason why they do not allow ppl in is that they are afraid the germs that you are carrying in your clothes may infect other patients. your antibody is high, but not other patients.
i like this blog... will subscribe.
zewt: Hi, glad to have you drop by.
I would agree too about the germ thing, except... that was not the reason given. We were bluntly told to our faces that we could not stay even outside the ward (in the waiting area). This isn't so bad for us relatives, but to tell the man's children they couldn't be at his bedside during his last moments? They had been there all day long, so why throw them out then? Just my thoughts...
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