I was just musing about some tendencies I had as a medical student and a doctor that are now being changed because of my experience of a miscarriage.
It's so easy to turn patients in our care into goods on a conveyor belt ("take this drug and see you in 2weeks. NEXT!"). But they are people just like us and no matter how overworked and undervalued we feel, we need to remember that that's a woman who just lost a baby (NOT "the Missed Ab in room 12"!).
After a miscarriage, it's not enough to clear out all the retained contents, prevent infection, control pain and discharge home. Some patients may want you to sit with them so they can cry and ask, "Why?" They want you to accept them on their own terms and treat them with dignity.
So, when you go on your next ward round, spare a thought for the woman on the bed; forget about impressing your Consultant or showing off your excellent clinical skills and use that opportunity to boost her morale.
We can make a difference.
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Thank you for your words!. I had a miscarriage last year and there was only one nurse that sat with me and supported me. Other healthcare providers that helped me were not understanding and just talked about infection and take this pill for your paine....etc. It was disturbing because I could not understand why it had happened. During this time I was in my last semester of nursing school and I said to myself that I will be more considerate to all my patients feelings and that I wont see them as a patient in room 12. Please be more considerate to patients feelings and emotions during a sad time like this. Thanks and we CAN make a difference.
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