Saturday, October 25, 2008

Neonatal intensive care unit

Yesterday, me and my othe 2 group members had a bedside teaching in the neonatal intensive care unit with Dr Faizah, the specialist in-charge of the NICU in hospital serdang.We had to examined this one tiny preterm baby.It was awkward at first.This is my first time examining a tiny body.After doing physical examination on him,I presented my findings to her.This baby had pansystolic murmur of Grade 4,highest intensity at the tricuspid area.My colleague had to examined a neonate who is having bronchopneumonia.Apparently he had 2 out of 3 cardinal signs of heart failure.He had enlarged heart (cardiomegaly) and tachycardia.However, his liver was not enlarged.Dr Faizah had to break the bad news to the parents.It was really frightening after seeing the way the parents react.They were shocked and in denial.However, I admire Dr Faizah's way of handling the situation.She was straightforward and was being emphatatic at the same time.Life as a doctor is challenging.We still need to be able to handle all sorts of people.People,especially parents have high expectations on doctors.Its hard to be somebody who is a personafication of God's mercy

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