I don’t even know where to start the rant from tbvh.
We have a big problem in the health division of this country. Doctors work like slaves yet we get peanut salaries.
We are overworked constantly. Maybe I should stop generalizing this.
I am always angry everyday.
Do you know how exhausting it is to be angry everyday? I know someone has whispered that ‘you’re in control of your Hapiness’ bullshit.’ Thanks for your input sis, I’m aware but when you work for 48hours straight and they are still blowing up your phone to do something for them, my first response is not ‘I’m in control of my Hapiness. So I’m not going to be angry’ my first response is ‘what kind of rubbish is this? Are there not rules in this place? Are you freaking mad?
People (senior colleagues) need to stop taking advantage of we the junior ones. It’s disgusting tbh. Frankly, I don’t care if one of them read this post. It has to be said.
Not only do we get sent on stupid errands, which is very unprofessional btw but we also get spoken to anyhow. Like bro/sis, dont be unfortunate. Don’t speak to me like you’ve got no manners.
Everyone frustrates you. Your fellow doctors, the nurses, patients relatives, even the hospital maid and the cleaner. It’s almost like damn, when are we actually going to focus on the patient.
On a ward round, your senior colleague that obviously does not know how to speak and correct politely will yell in front of the patient, their relatives and the whole ward about how useless the young doctors are. I will say though that not all of them are like this. I’ve worked with some amazing people who taught and corrected young doctors with respect.
You ask the nurse politely for the patient’s chart, you get yelled at. When you correct their mistakes and ask them to do their work, they gather and say you have attitude problems. Ok ma.
The nurses don’t wanna do their work. All they want to do is call you that a patient’s IV line is in tissue. I’ve had to go site a line three times on the same patient in one night. This patient whose veins i could barely see despite the tourniquet was voluntarily removing it and the nurses did not really care. I mean it’s the doctors that site line so for all they care, he can remove it five times. So I mean, let him remove it and bleed every now and then. Where is the love?
Hospital maids/attendants/whatever else they like to be called don’t wanna do anything. All they wanna do is sit and talk all day. Once you tell them to go pick up drugs or drop something at the pharmacy, you’re looking for trouble or you tell them to go drop a sample at the lab. They’ll complain( yes, in front of everyone) about how they’re tired of walking and how they can’t walk far distances. Sis, why are you getting paid then? I don’t have energy because my response is always ‘ Ma, it’s your job o. I didn’t help you apply to a busy hospital as a hospital maid. So please do your job or quit.’ Stupes
Now let’s move to the patient’s relative. This one is a bit cultural. Nigerian adults think because you’re a young lady, they can speak to you anyhow. Like can we all respect ourselves here ffs! Or the younger relatives that call you ‘sister/nurse/eysss’. I had to tell a young man to never call me ‘eysss’ if you don’t have brain cells to see I’m a doctor and should be called doctor then I really don’t know again.
A recent encounter with a patient’s relative
Walked to the patient to resite his IV line. The whole place was a mess. (Half empty pure water satchets everywhere, used plates on the desk where his IV fluids and consumables should be. Opened the drawer and ended up touching a used spoon. FFS!!!!
Me: Hello, are you his son?
Him: Yes.
Me: you need to clear this place. This whole place is a mess.
Him: IS IT ME THAT DID IT NI? ABEG SISTER DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. WHATS YOUR OWN WITH USED PLATES? AH O GA O.
At this point he got me fucked up.
Me: ARE YOU SERIOUS? A YOUNG MAN LIKE YOU SEEING HOW NASTY THIS PLACE IS AND THATS WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF. PLEASE STEP OUTSIDE NOW!!!!! LIKE I DONT WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE HERE WHILE IM RESITING THIS LINE. MORE THAN HALF OF THE THINGS I NEED TO RESITE LINE YOU DONT HAVE. YET YOU CANT BE HUMBLE AND LET PEOPLE HELP YOU.
GO GET 5 PINK CANNULAS, COTTON WOOL AND GLOVES SIR.
He insisted he was not going to leave. Super cute.
Of course he left when i almost got security involved. You must be mad to think you can come and disrespect me at my place of work. Absolutely mad.
Its funny how if it was a huge male Doctor, he’d almost be prostrating every time. Trash. Nigerians are disrespectful. No manners. Nothing.
So imagine going to work and having to deal with all these people every single day.
I’m legit a very angry person now. Like I already had low tolerance for nonsense but now I don’t even think I have tolerance again sef.
I try to be positive and just not be so angry all the time but it’s really hard when everyone makes your work 10x harder than it should be.
We really need to fix up in this country because patients will continue to suffer for the mess. I’m not going to work for 48 hours barely eating and sleeping and not snap at someone stupid.
Ok I’m done ranting.
Have a good weekend.
I’m on call on Sunday and Im not answering any phone calls today because I can’t come and die.
(PS- If you’re planning to work in Nigeria as a Doctor, don’t do it abeg. Don’t say I didn’t warn you o)
– TOSIN
Ikr…i can relate to some of these things, those ward maids abi it is attendants they are called can be so annoying, some nurses too, all they wanna do is gossip throughout. Tbh, the whole system is messed up.
If you are planning to practice in Nigeria better be ready to be “10000%” tolerant, if not, DON’T!!!
Sorryyy 😭😭😭 I can tell from your rant that working in Nigeria is obviously so frustrating… I’m not even looking forward to it anymore. Let me look for international exam to write and go to a better place.
I didn’t mean to be discouraging because some people enjoy and can cope with the stress. I just can’t.
lol it’s okay, I’ve seen and heard a lot of people complain and discourage me ( including family members) from coming back to settle at home. I sincerely hope our health sector gets better soon
😱😱😱
I really should be glad the MDCN folks have refused to get us inducted o…The only downside is that I’m not making any money yet, even if it’s peanuts, for all the thousands of dollars my parents spent on my med sch fees.
I feel your pain though,
The Naija system is crazy (whether hospitals, banks, schools or anywhere else), and I think bad attitude/work ethics is the primary problem!
God have mercy🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
I heard about the induction thing. What a mess! It really is crazy .
Wow… This is a huge mess, sorry about it sis,just find a way to stay happy. #kisses
Wow, such honesty. Pele, like, I can’t wait for the housemanship to be over so you can get your sanity back.
I really hope the working conditions for medical professionals improves sooner rather than later. It isn’t even good on your health to be working such ridiculous hours, Diarris God!!!
Tuke’s Quest
Thank you so much for reading. I’m really praying for Nigeria. The country is a hot mess. Hopefully things get better!
From a relative’s perspective I always knew the doctors worked real hard,I mean imagine going back and forth doing ward rounds and constantly checking on patients in a very large hospital like luth.. I think you all handle the stress really well because one can hardly tell from outward appearance , I say you people are doing an amazing job .
the government needs to improve the health Care sector in general. from proper and up to date infrastructures to working conditions and benefits for medical workers
It’s amazing hearing from that perspective! It is really a mess o but we thank God…. Thanks for reading and commenting.
I admire your honesty.
Ah! Nigeria! When will things change?
Thank you for reading! We’ll keep praying! Things have to change
Despite all the unnecessary stress, still our doctors hang on and do the best they can. That’s very noble. God help Nigeria
I know right! May God help this country.
Its now days to go! heyyyyy i’m super excited for you girl!! congratulationsssssss!!!!
Thanks!!! I am so excited!
Oh nice to see someone with a relatable telling it as it is. Where are you doing your housemanship?
Hiii, Thanks for reading. Tosin is looking to start serving soon.
I applaud every doctor especially working in Naija. The hurdles to get things done efficiently is a lot higher. First, the foundation is so wrong. Nigerians would always have the ‘respect your senior’ mentality and that jeopardizes professionalism in the work place especially for a young doctor. Nurses on the other hand feel prejudiced. A silent strife about doctors being superior to nurses make them antsy at even proper protocol and orders from doctors. There are exemptions ofcourse.
By the way, isn’t it the job of of the nurses to set IV lines? Yes, doctors can but nurses actually set it up and observe. My hubby practised medicine for some years in the Middle East and their hospital look like the the set of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’. State-of-the-
art healthcare. How on earth should a patient provide his own cannula, tourniquet, gloves etc? These are absolutely free abroad. Relatives and their misdemeanors is the one thing I know that’s common worldwide owing that they get emotional and misbehave sometimes when their loved ones are admitted but every other thing is just sad. The School of Medicine in the Caribbean is an eye opener for me. The professionalism, the care, the environment create an enviable learning urge. What do Naija classrooms have? Stampede for lectures, poorly ventilated, overcrowded classes that you won’t hear the lecturer. And our hospitals?…a strong smell of Izal as you walk in(their own definition of a clean environment).I’ve been in both worlds and I concur, Nigeria has no business even having a Med school. We have the brainy lecturers, doctors and promising students but the system just kills people.
http://www.bubusboulevard.com
Omg!!! Thank you for this comment! I totally did not expect what I saw when I got to Nigeria. The whole system is a mess. Nothing works! It’s honestly saddening. The things Doctors, Nurses, patients go through… Man, you couldn’t have said it better!
Oh my!!! I don’t think I am this courageous oo to talk to people. I can just imagine you dealing with all those peeps. I trust God to give strength should when the time comes.
The part of calling female doctors nurse is so annoying like fam my folks paid thousand of dollars for me to get the MD and Please not to to talk of time we invest in studies. I ain’t playing, I correct you immediately especially if you are rude and with attitude but sometimes i let it slide if I perceive the person really didn’t mean to be rude.
Nice one really enjoyed reading this.
Amen o. Thank you for stopping by!