work isn't just a place where you earn your own money. it's not just a place where you get to spend most of your time and work very hard and eventually get paid for it. it's not just a place where you can have your very own ID accompanied by your company's name. it's not just a place where you can socialize with your boss slash manager, colleagues and clients. it's not just where at one point, you can consider yourself "independent" for earning your own money.
i believe it's not just like that. at least for me.
before, i call my work a "dirty-job". being a patient care tech slash nurse assistant is very different from working in Mcdonalds or in Old Navy. before, i just see it as somebody who takes a patient's blood pressure, temperature, pulse and respirations. somebody who cleans up the patient's body and bed if they did number 1 and so with number 2. somebody who helps and assists them when eating and ambulating. somebody who will cleans up a patient's mess whether it's a vomit, sputum, poop - get the picture. somebody who will do the errands. basically, a nurse's assistant. but for the past few months, i was wrong.
and because of what happened in the morning of oct. 15th - i never see work as it was before anymore. never.
40 more minutes before i get to go home. it was a long, tiring night and im anxious to go home. working nights 8 hours straight without any prior sleep isn't healthy. loading yourself with big dose of caffeine will just give you palpitations and shortness of breath. but then i was happy because it's almost time to go home. then one patient on the other side of the floor started yelling and breathing hard at the same time. he was not my patient but he caught my attention so i went inside the room. he said he can't breathe. nurse called RRT (rapid response team) already because he doesn't look well.
doctors came and told him to slowly breathe instead of panicking so he could get more air and breathe better. they left him for a while and went to check his labs and records and i was there with him in the room trying to comfort him. he started breathing harder with a moaning sound. he looked at me in the eye and told me "hurry up, hurry up". right there and there, i knew i couldn't leave him alone. in a special way, he touched my heart and i just want to be there with him till things gets better. took his blood pressure @ 6:50 am, first was bad. second time @ 7:00, it's getting better but still not normal. then he started to remain calm and breathe better. i was happy because he finally looked peaceful. @ 7:15, his blood pressure looks normal. i left the room, gave the nurse his blood pressure, happy that before i leave - he's finally okay.
i was downstairs waiting for my mom when i heard a code blue(cardiac arrest) over the intercom. the room sounds familiar. it's him. i ran as fast as i can to his room but this time, it's all different. doctors and nurses are everywhere. some are trying to revive him, others are watching. tears started to fall down my cheeks. he has to live. he was a total stranger to me but that morning - it seems to me i've known him for years. i can't forget the way he looked at me when we're alone in the room. i felt relieved when one nurse shouted that he finally has pulse. i ran downstairs, happy knowing that he will be alright. a prayer whispered, went home and went to sleep.
went back to work 3pm that day again and first thing i asked is "how was the patient?". the answer is too painful. he died that morning. i cried like a baby when i got home. i don't know why but he changed my life and the way i see my work now. work isn't just about my money, it's all about the patients i meet. not just how i can change their lives but how they can touch mine too.
"i may not be able to say goodbye to you but thank you for making me look at life differently. you were a tough man and i salute you for that. i saw your son cried that afternoon when he talked to your nurse about what happened. i feel his pain too. no matter what, Jesus loves you. and you know what, i thank God for you. may you rest in peace. "
i believe it's not just like that. at least for me.
before, i call my work a "dirty-job". being a patient care tech slash nurse assistant is very different from working in Mcdonalds or in Old Navy. before, i just see it as somebody who takes a patient's blood pressure, temperature, pulse and respirations. somebody who cleans up the patient's body and bed if they did number 1 and so with number 2. somebody who helps and assists them when eating and ambulating. somebody who will cleans up a patient's mess whether it's a vomit, sputum, poop - get the picture. somebody who will do the errands. basically, a nurse's assistant. but for the past few months, i was wrong.
and because of what happened in the morning of oct. 15th - i never see work as it was before anymore. never.
40 more minutes before i get to go home. it was a long, tiring night and im anxious to go home. working nights 8 hours straight without any prior sleep isn't healthy. loading yourself with big dose of caffeine will just give you palpitations and shortness of breath. but then i was happy because it's almost time to go home. then one patient on the other side of the floor started yelling and breathing hard at the same time. he was not my patient but he caught my attention so i went inside the room. he said he can't breathe. nurse called RRT (rapid response team) already because he doesn't look well.
doctors came and told him to slowly breathe instead of panicking so he could get more air and breathe better. they left him for a while and went to check his labs and records and i was there with him in the room trying to comfort him. he started breathing harder with a moaning sound. he looked at me in the eye and told me "hurry up, hurry up". right there and there, i knew i couldn't leave him alone. in a special way, he touched my heart and i just want to be there with him till things gets better. took his blood pressure @ 6:50 am, first was bad. second time @ 7:00, it's getting better but still not normal. then he started to remain calm and breathe better. i was happy because he finally looked peaceful. @ 7:15, his blood pressure looks normal. i left the room, gave the nurse his blood pressure, happy that before i leave - he's finally okay.
i was downstairs waiting for my mom when i heard a code blue(cardiac arrest) over the intercom. the room sounds familiar. it's him. i ran as fast as i can to his room but this time, it's all different. doctors and nurses are everywhere. some are trying to revive him, others are watching. tears started to fall down my cheeks. he has to live. he was a total stranger to me but that morning - it seems to me i've known him for years. i can't forget the way he looked at me when we're alone in the room. i felt relieved when one nurse shouted that he finally has pulse. i ran downstairs, happy knowing that he will be alright. a prayer whispered, went home and went to sleep.
went back to work 3pm that day again and first thing i asked is "how was the patient?". the answer is too painful. he died that morning. i cried like a baby when i got home. i don't know why but he changed my life and the way i see my work now. work isn't just about my money, it's all about the patients i meet. not just how i can change their lives but how they can touch mine too.
"i may not be able to say goodbye to you but thank you for making me look at life differently. you were a tough man and i salute you for that. i saw your son cried that afternoon when he talked to your nurse about what happened. i feel his pain too. no matter what, Jesus loves you. and you know what, i thank God for you. may you rest in peace. "