Last night at around 11pm, a friend texted me and asked for help because she was vomiting, having loose stools and was in severe pain that she can barely walk. We decided it would be best we go to the ER. Now, this is my first time to be rushing someone to the ER alone, and I started to panic. I hurriedly stuffed my bag with my phone, my ID and cash. I was already wearing my pambahay clothes since I was about to sleep, and I didnt have the chance to change. The streets were almost empty. Luckily, one tricycle is parked near my dorm. So I asked the lone tricycle driver to help me pick her up from her dorm and to bring us to UST-ER. Upon arrival, I saw 3 or 4 nurses, a nursing aide, 2 post graduate interns and a resident, I think. The nurse was the one who immediately asked us, Ano pong nangyari? I told him about my friends complaints, after which he casually said, Ah.. Upo po muna kayo., pointing to a nearby chair in front of the nurses station. Annoying as it was, the two postgraduate interns approached us and asked the same question. So we had to answer with the same complaints. However, unlike the nurse who just asked us to sit down, the interns said, Clarify ko lang po a, 2 po ang ER natin. Isang Pay at isang CD. Magkaiba po ang rate. Dito po, 800. Probably seeing my confused look, he added, 2 hours pa lang po na stay dito sa ER yung 800. Di pa po kasama yung labs tsaka gamot. WOW. Never in Med school or in Nursing school have I heard such a thing that we have to clarify the fees next to asking the chief complaint and before actually attending to the patient. Likewise, I have never been this insulted in my whole life. As if that was not enough, the intern added, Nagkamali po ba kayo ng baba? WTF. And I mean WTF. So I said shes a UST student, and were staying here at the ER Pay. Settling the matter, the interns and the nurses went back to whatever they were previously doing. Someone approached us, an IM resident, I think. She once again confirmed if my friend was a student in UST and explained that for students, only the ER stay is covered. We had to pay the lab and med fees. My friend was already in tears, the pain seemed 10/10. Later on, they asked me to fill up the information sheet with her general data. They were each holding a pen, so I asked if I could borrow one. But instead of lending me one, they pointed to the desk near the door where a pen tied to something was in place. While writing, that was the only time they ushered her to a bed in the ER. They gave her IV meds, identifying only their brand names, and not bothering to explain what they were for. I was the one who explained things to my friend. Luckily, Ive been reading on this topic the morning before. We stayed there until around 4 am. After paying the much-explained-bills, she was discharged. The ER security guard told us to use the Lacson gate because P. Novals was already closed. We had to walk along Lacson which was really dark due to power outtage and full of Glendas debris. Reaching, the corner of Dapitan and Lacson, we were able to ride a cab back to our dorm. I cried myself to sleep, thinking of the previous events. Hospital memories with my lolo were back. 😢 The only good things that happened were (1) my friend got better and (2) I resolved to be a better doctor in the future.
Posted on: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 04:42:37 +0000
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