As someone who no longer belongs to the bedside, I write about the injustice of healthcare.
I am not a bleeder at heart. I took care of many people across different acuities and ages on the floor and in ER, and the ones who truly needed to be there due to sickness, I did not mind at all. But growing up in a very disciplined, strict household, my standards and the patheticness of people, and also the complete injustice of healthcare industry wore me down inside and out.
In this industry, there is no accountability, no responsibility, no justice, no discipline. Hospital is dinged for readmission within 30 days for "not providing enough education", when the individual is hell-bent on feeding on non-compliance. Pain is now 6th vital sign because no one values overcoming pain or suffering anymore, they just want that instantaneous high, instead actually fixing the problem through diet, exercise, lifestyle change. Cons made up some cheeky devices to cheat out hospitals called satisfaction scores, HCAPS, and the hospitals are sworn by them. Instead of valuing the integrity and safety of the their employees, hospitals care more about providing better sandwich, warmer blanket, better resolution TVs, fancier rooms, while the heart and backbones of the care suffer with sub-par insurance, low compensation, dangerous staffing, ignoring the voices of the most important part of the business: their employees.
The hospital staff is reduced to nothing more than a glorified, educated garcon whose primary purpose is to keep people comfortable, happy, satisfied in order to receive "EVERY TIME" in EVERYTHING to scramble as much reimbursement as possible, while in actuality, we are to serve and protect the public from the harm, preventable death, and in every event, do no harm but uplift dignity and preserve humanity.
There is no humanity in narcotic addiction and drug-seeking behavior for the high, in continued alcoholism while on transplant list, in non-compliance to diabetic or CHF regimen, in deliberate laziness to resolve problems, cessation of bad behaviors or street drugs, in continued ugly and rude behaviors that harbor anger, hatred, violence and deceit. Where is dignity in that? I dare say, to me they can go die on their own accord either through OD or chronic illness that they brought on themselves, I will not be demanded to be compassionate and understanding to them to get a check mark on some score sheet. My dignity and standards will not allow that! Part of the blame, belongs to the "patients." Yes, contrary to puplar belief, patients are humans and they have duty to be accountable and responsible like every other humanbeing.
Injustice. I will use that word to describe healthcare. The administrators and policy makers are the biggest reason that brew anger and hatred toward my profession. "I don't care, that doesn't affect me" attitude really sickens me. Let the lowly pleb nurses take the excraments, we will get the bonus for selling the staff short and enjoy weekends and holidays. Well, I am out. I am happy in my cubicle.
