Saturday, January 29, 2011

parting is such sweet sorrow.

staff nurse N has resigned from her job to go back to her hometown in another state, where her 2 little children are being looked after by her parents, & a little closer to where hubby is working.


when she asked to have a photo taken with me today, i was a little taken aback. we didn't have a smooth working relationship. i've known her from the time she started as a fresh-faced graduate & although she struggled the initial few months, she picked up with time & experience. even then, i think i still gave her a hard time because i didn't think she was focussed on the job. i reckoned she would at best be mediocre.

as i looked back at her time with the department, i'm trying to figure out why she isn't confident & couldn't excel in her job. it wasn't obvious to me till now. it can't be easy to fully concentrate & be focussed on the job when the hubby is working miles apart & the kids are even further away. living all alone can't be good for a marriage. now that she will at least be reunited with her parents & kids in the hometown, i hope she will be happier & henceforth be a better nurse. actually, i know she can be one.

if she wanted to.

18 comments:

stay-at-home mum said...

U know why she wants your photo? She is going to bring it home and show to her family who gave her a hard time!! Kekekekkk! Just kidding! I am sure she appreciates what you taught her.
Anyway it's good that she is going to be nearer her family now. How tough It is to be far away from the family depends pretty much on the person's wants and needs, and I think it is much much tougher for a woman.

Medie007 said...

too high an high expectation?

Yvonne Foong said...

Wow. That's insight. Maybe you are handsome (I haven't seen you so I don't know for sure.) which makes up for being a difficult superior.

I also observed some nurses in a certain private hospital who are very dedicated to helping their specialists. It is possible to tell between a specialist who treats his nurse respectfully and one who does not. Can tell from the nurse' body language.

There was one specialist very nasty towards his nurse. As time went by, this specialist also lost his patients. It came to a point so bad that when his patients asked to see another doctor with the same specialty in the same hospital, he asked the hospital to get the patient sign a form saying that once changed, they cannot change back. :P

Anyway, I bet you were touched when this nurse asked to take a picture with you, huh? ;)

Maybe that's what all the nasty teachers and headmasters feel too when students ask to take a picture with them.

Bengbeng said...

you used the word focused. i think it is quite accurate. without focus, one is at best adequate or at worst kelam kabut. i jus had a dressing done. amidst all the pain, i kept my mind focused on other stuff. i refused to dwell on the pain

doc said...

SAHM,

i'm actually happy for her that she chose to be closer to her family. her mind wasn't on the job at all.

doc said...

Medie,

her performance was at best average, although i tried to get her to improve. the inertia was er...immovable.

doc said...

Yvonne,

yes, i was surprised (no, not really touched) she asked to have her photo taken with me because, as i have mentioned, we didn't have a smooth working relationship. but since she asked, i would assume that she's taken my strict teaching in a positive light.

no, i'm not even close to handsome & i have this fierce look that makes me an even more difficult superior.

;)

doc said...

Beng,

was your mind focussed on the image of a certain D Henry?

;)

wenn said...

it's better to be close to family.

doc said...

Wenn,

i agree.

like Eugene (http://bold-talk.blogspot.com/) says, family first, no matter what.

Unicorn Girl said...

maybe she's grateful to you for some other kind deeds of yours that made a difference to her that you were not aware off hence the memory.
It's always good to learn something from a strict and stern boss despite the strain working relationship.

Unicorn Girl said...

maybe she's grateful to you for some other kind deeds of yours that made a difference to her that you were not aware off hence the memory.
It's always good to learn something from a strict and stern boss despite the strain working relationship.

doc said...

UG,

that's how i'd like to think, that somehow, i've made a difference. i had my share of stirct bosses & i appreciate them for their discipline.

Michelle Mak said...

hmm.. i am wondering how my life would be when i am up north in about a year plus with my parents in kl... hmmm...will i be the second staff nurse u have just blogged about?? *wonder*

p/s : i don think u are fierce.. i have heard abt u during my posting... and the comments i heard was all positive tho! :D

doc said...

Mich,

sooner or later, you'll have to leave the nest, & the faster you adapt to the separation, the better you'll cope with the job.

PS. you don't know the real me yet!

Yvonne Foong said...

You are a fierce doctor? OMG! During my KLGH days, the patients stayed very still when meeting our specialists! Thank God not all specialists are like that. But you are one too?

doc said...

Yvonne,

i'm actually very nice to the patients - after all, they are the reason i'm in private practice. however, i'm rather fierce to the nurses when they jeopardise patients' lives, esp when not following my instructions.

Yvonne Foong said...

Oh I see. Just kidding but maybe the doctors in public hospitals are not fierce enough towards their nurses. Is that why? :P