Hats off to doctors, nurses
The medical fraternity deserves special commendations for the outstanding work they do. They have an onerous task of taking care of patients, some of whom will be on the verge of death. They literally carry lives in their hands.
WE often undermine or underestimate the critical role they play. We sometimes take them for granted, but these guys do not deal with commodities, but human lives. Of course they do not play God, the ultimate Healer, but they have a calling to which they responded.
Health assumes overriding priority, outside of God. Everything starts with it. We cannot work or play without it. Other issues take lesser importance.
Doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, nurse aids, hygiene technicians and others within the fraternity must be saluted as they are some of the most critical personnel anywhere in the world. Their job is of paramount importance to the fabric and well-being of any society.
The importance of doctors has been further highlighted by the global health crisis caused by the coronavirus which has seen doctors and nurses giving an arm and a leg, and even their own lives in trying to literally save the world.
Hundreds if not thousands have lost their lives in the line of duty and have made sacrifices that have cost them and their families and loved ones dearly in order to save and preserve lives.
An enormous amount of responsibility is placed on their shoulders as they daily make decisions in matters of life and death.
Due to the interconnected nature of our modern existence, we are all affected by the help and care nurses administer.
A nurse or doctor who helps save a family member’s life impacts you as well as your family member.
Without nurses and doctors, medicine would cease to exist and that would have a grave impact on everyone (pun intended).
I have had an occasion to see them at work lately. I am bowled over. The kind of care and attention they give to their work is exceptional.
They move up and down to give the best care to those left in their care. Wards, particularly intensive care and high dependency units are always a hive of activity as their do their utmost to save lives and ensure patients’ needs are taken care of.
Some literally do not sleep, as they attend to matters at hand.
Watching them at work gives a true picture of the selfless nature of their work. Nurses are generally side-stepped in our order of importance, but these women and men do quite some work, on doctor’s instructions obviously.
If we really think about it, doctors may spend minutes assessing a patient, the nursing sisters will be busy with monitoring, reports and much else.
Then some casually dismiss them as just being a nurse, emanating from a presumed position of superiority, but these guys are confronted by the most dire of circumstances.
They face some of the most excruciating moments one could ever come face-to-face with, but they continue to work, regardless.
The patients themselves could be problematic, the visitors too may pose challenges of their own, the doctors need precise reports and all this needs to be handled concurrently.
Because of Covid-19 restrictions, there are limits to hospital visitors, understandably done to protect the patients and the visitors themselves. But that alone is a battle as many relatives would want to see the hospitalised.
What I have experienced is that most of the doctors and nurses are really passionate about their work. They do it with such a heart and you can tell this is not mere posturing, but the care comes from the heart.
The few bad apples that we hear or read about are the odd ones out. The majority are sincere.
The human spirit is probably at its worst if afflicted.
Players in this industry mitigate this. We applaud all these efforts.
The highest of hygiene standards have to be maintained, accentuated by Covid-19.
So, the cleaning staff is also critical. Everyone has a role to play in the medical ecosystem. We applaud the President for noting the vital role of this sector.
Doctors face complex challenges, multiple diseases can exhibit the same symptoms, hence the prospect of wrong diagnosis.
Their work is cut out for them, they have to live with the calls they make.
This sector has not had concomitant attention for quite some time, but we are glad that the Government is ceased with ensuring that they live comfortable lives.
They have been working under the most challenging of circumstances but they still do their work diligently.
It requires patience, industry, understanding, empathy, belief and a high degree of commitment to the cause.
The roles played by nurses and doctors is complimentary and their relationship crucial to patients’ welfare.
There has been friction at times between the two groups and in such a high stakes and tense environment that they operate, maybe that should be expected although all efforts are called for to minimise friction and work hand in glove to achieve common goals, targets and ensure the safety and preservation of patients’ lives.
However, conflict and tension do not characterise all doctor and nurse relationships. In many healthcare contexts, doctors and nurses work together to serve patients. Conflict can occur between workers in business and professional contexts outside of healthcare, but it is conflict resolution and finding common ground that will save the day in any one professional setting where there is bound to be friction.
Here in Zimbabwe our health delivery system, though experiencing strenuous challenges, has been propped up by the sacrifices and the rapport between the two groups.
A negative or intimidating relationship between a physician and nurse can create a situation that puts the patient at risk.
They too (nurses and doctors), have challenges of their own all the while trying to save lives and should be highly commended for proving a balance and working towards creating a most conducive environment for effective communication and execution of duties.
We have had doctors and nurses for more than two millennia and their presence and contribution to society has never been more important than now.
Nurse’s Pledge of Service reads: I solemnly pledge myself to the service of humanity and will endeavour to practise my profession with conscience and with dignity. I will maintain, by all the means in my power, the honour and noble tradition of my profession. The total health of my patients will be my first consideration.
Doctors’ Hippocratic Oath principles are in part : Treat the sick to the best of one’s ability, preserve patient privacy and teach the secrets of medicine to the next generation.
These guys ought to be given the credit and support they fully deserve and at times we take their contribution to society for granted without acknowledging the extent of their importance and relevance to society.
Hats off to all doctors, nurses and all healthcare personnel as they are selfless warriors fighting every second to save lives all over the world.
One cannot fathom a world without doctors and nurses. There may not be much of a world to talk about in the first place if it were not for their presence amongst us.
In God I Trust!
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