Back in the Game

A Brand New Year. Brand new opportunities. A chance for new Beginnings.

I’m back in the game... Sort of.

I’ve finally started “moonlighting”, which was something I was planning to do months ago. Since applications for residency training in most hospitals are already closed, moonlighting became the most feasible option. I had to find a job ASAP because my funds are quickly becoming depleted. LOL. There were a lot of job openings prior to New Years Day, in anticipation of all the injuries that accompany the festivities--- firecracker injuries, mauling, vehicular accidents, etc. I got one as a surgery assistant—the fact that I already spent several months in surgery training made things easier for me to get hired. The fact that they were paying double for each hour spent in the hospital on that day made those job openings difficult to resist. Most people opt to have the day off during holidays. I’m already tired of our annual New Year’s Day traditions, so I don’t mind working. I’d rather be working and doing something productive than to start another year by being part of the same redundant and senseless traditions.

It was only supposed to be a one time deal--- initially, I only planned to work for 2 days. It turns out that one of the regular moonlighters is out of the country, and won’t be back until next month. So they asked me if I could still report for 24-48 hour duty shifts. Since I wasn't really doing anything, and the pay was much much better than my previous salary, I said yes. This is truly where the money’s at.

But it’s not something I could do long term. Probably one month, max. The salary is great, and we spend most nights in the callroom instead of working in the emergency room, operating rooms, and wards. I never thought that work can be so easy. We just watch TV, play videogames, sleep, eat, and wait to be called. I could sleep for at least four hours a day! I never missed meals! Most of the times, we just tell the nurses what to do and they do all most of the work. For the first time I experienced working with nurses who don’t act like superiors, they act as assistants! And come to think of it, we are actually overpaid! The exact opposite of my previous job! One of the doctors I worked with has actually been employed there for 10 years! He never yearned for residency training because he was so content with his job… and I could clearly see why.

But such a lifestyle isn’t for me. Maybe I’m just not used to it... maybe I’ll eventually get used to it… but I felt out of place. I don’t like just sitting around doing nothing. Several times I went to the emergency room looking for something to do, only to go back upstairs because there really was nothing to do. I never thought I could be bored to death while working.

I also felt shackled... paralyzed. I felt like some puppet that can’t move on its own. In many cases, we can’t decide on our own. We have to call the consultants and ask them what we should do, or ask permission if we think we should do something. The final word is theirs, we are just there to follow and carry out their orders. Two nights ago one patient came in with gunshot wounds. Since there were no bullets retained inside, and no internal organs were damaged, I was about to debride the entry and exit wounds and send the patient home. Then one of my co-workers told me that we can’t do that. We have to admit the patient because only consultants can do what I was planning to do. And it can’t be done in the emergency room, it had to be done in the operating room. Something as simple as that had to be done in the operating room. Go figure.

It also became clear that I’m not suited for work in a private hospital. I pity the patients who can’t get treated because they lacked funds. I pity those patients who can’t even get discharged and transfer to a cheaper hospital for the same reason. I have a problem with certain policies, that patients should be admitted even when there are no indications for admission, why certain forms of treatment should be administered even when there are cheaper and more practical alternatives--- because in a private hospital, health becomes business. Everything becomes more financially oriented and less service oriented. It’s a totally different ballgame, with rules that I may never get used to.