Hospital Tales: SWAT
Every morning i have to walk through a graffiti-ed underground pass that leads to my specialist clinic. And every morning the words in bold "S.W.A.T" (Service With A Thought) scream out at me, reminding me of how similar the work of a patient assistant staff and a member of the actual Special Weapons And Tactics team is like.
According to Wikipedia, the duties of a (real) SWAT team include:
* Non-violent apprehension of desperate barricaded suspects
* Protecting emergency personnel against snipers
* Neutralizing guerilla or terrorist operations
* Rescuing officers and citizens captured or endangered by gunfire
And according to me, the duties of a patient-assistant:
* Non-violent assistance of desperate kiasu patients - like those who come at 9am to register for their 11am appointment and wonder angrily WHY ON EARTH they have to wait for 2 hours.
* Protecting all personnel against patient-snipers whose ammunition include "I'll complain to your nurse manager!" and "I'll write a letter to the Straits Times Forum!"
* Neutralizing patient terrorists who will only be satisfied only when they have made your life a little more miserable. Read: Mr. Blue Shirt.
* Rescuing soft-spoken colleagues captured or endangered by gunfire of loud, demanding and completely rude middle-aged men and tai-tais.
According to Wikipedia, the duties of a (real) SWAT team include:
* Non-violent apprehension of desperate barricaded suspects
* Protecting emergency personnel against snipers
* Neutralizing guerilla or terrorist operations
* Rescuing officers and citizens captured or endangered by gunfire
And according to me, the duties of a patient-assistant:
* Non-violent assistance of desperate kiasu patients - like those who come at 9am to register for their 11am appointment and wonder angrily WHY ON EARTH they have to wait for 2 hours.
* Protecting all personnel against patient-snipers whose ammunition include "I'll complain to your nurse manager!" and "I'll write a letter to the Straits Times Forum!"
* Neutralizing patient terrorists who will only be satisfied only when they have made your life a little more miserable. Read: Mr. Blue Shirt.
* Rescuing soft-spoken colleagues captured or endangered by gunfire of loud, demanding and completely rude middle-aged men and tai-tais.
Labels: life lessons
