“If you choose to work as a nurse, you have tolove the job. Whenever patients come into the department for dialysis with asmile in face, we also have fun," said Nguyen Tran Duc, a nurse atCho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for 28 years.
When he began working, he did not know howto arrange his time, but with the assistance of advancedmachines and more years of experience, he now no longer feels tired.
“In the hemodialysis department, mostpatients with chronic kidney failure at the end stage are treated for 20 years,so I see them as my relatives and take care of them with my whole heartand love,” Duc said.
Many young patients are shocked to learnthey have chronic kidney failure, he said. Nursesprovide psychological assistance to them to allay their fears andgive detailed instructions on how to prolong their life.
“I understand the anxiety ofpatients and their relatives, so when they take out their rage on me,I try to accept it. My friendliness and hospitality can ease their angerand encourage them to continue fighting their disease,” he added.
Nguyen Thi Kim Bang, who has worked as a nursefor 28 years at Cho Ray Hospital, says that she worked in theintensive care unit (ICU) for the first 18 years, and since then has beenin the department that treats liver tumours.
“Taking care of patients in any departmentin the hospital is tiring,” Bang said. “However, I take care of them witha whole heart because I think simply that it is my task and I have tocomplete my task well so that I don't feel ashamed."
In the department for liver tumours,patients will grumble about service attitude and quality, she says,adding: “But taking care of them for a long time creates emotionalbonds. We should make patients feel like the department is theirhome and they can speak about their problems. When we have deepunderstanding about patients’ health, it is easier to take care ofthem and treat them effectively."
Whenever Bang finds out that patients she oncetreated have died, her heart hurts, she said.
Thai Thi Kim Nga, who has been a nurse formore than 40 years, is the director of nursing at the City InternationalHospital. She says that nurses should always improve theirprofessional knowledge and skills, and know how to listento what patients say.
They should also learn about thepatients' problems because all patients are not the same, Nga said.
“If nurses have no love for the job, itwill be difficult to continue,” she added.
Uong Sy Thao, head of the nursing divisionin the Mental Health Department at 175 Military Hospital, said thatpatients in the department often find it difficult to accept theirdisorder and fight, hit or scratch nurses.
Phan Tien Dung, a nurse at Cho RayHospital’s Emergency Department, has had to face irate relatives but hastried to be sympathetic and find the best way to talk to them.
According to a survey on stress among nurses atHCM City Oncology Hospital, conducted in 2017, 60 percent had moderatestress while 19 percent had a high stress level, and the resta low level.
Most of them felt stress because ofwork pressure and problems from patients and their relatives.
They said that hospital leaders shouldset up programmes to help them reduce stress.
Nurses at the Oncology Hospital oftenface patient overcrowding in inadequate facilities and ashortage of nurses.
According to health experts, hospitals, especiallypublic ones, should add more nurses to reduce work overload and improvequality of care.
Vietnam has the lowest ratio of nurses andmidwives to doctors in Southeast Asia, according to Sai Gon GiaiPhong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper.
Dr Nguyen Hoang Bac, Director of the HCM CityUniversity Medical Centre, said that nurses make importantcontributions to the centre’s development and provide quality healthcareservices.-VNS/VNA