LESSON FROM A COLD CHAMBER

This is a lesson we can all draw from an incident I had at a hospital a few weeks ago. We cannot deny this happens often to us.  Our failure to accept these occurrences, this wrong behaviour of leadership we have as principals or teacher, doctors or nurses, managers or supervisors, deeply affects how we portray what we are and what system we have. 

Entering the consultation room immediately after a man in a wheelchair exited with his wife, I saw a young doctor behind the table. She picked the phone, talked for few seconds, and looked up. I was scared she would keep me standing and waiting for some time.

She was young, probably a recent graduate. Her white coat was sleek and glossy. The room was filled with aroma from a fragrant soap she must have used. I waited until she looked at me.

“This for insurance purposes.” I laid the papers before her. I laid it gently. I did not want it to appear like I was thrusting the papers before her with haste. It was a medical certificate form required by RICBL from the hospital.

Half an hour ago, I had been directed from the registration counter to go to an office on the ground floor, and from the ground floor to meet the doctor. I had waited outside in the queue with others. It was Monday, and the queue was long, but since I arrived early, I had only a few patients before me.

She pulled the paper and scribbled on it. She knew what I needed to do next without asking any questions. With a poor vision, I could not see what was written from where I sat. She pushed the paper towards me, laying on the sphygmomanometer cable. I peeked and saw two numbers. One was 15 and the other was blurry. It appeared like 10.

“Go and get these.” She demanded, almost in a whisper. The voice derided the gentleness of a young woman. It surprised me. I looked closer. The second number doubtfully looked like zero nine.

“15 and 9 ya?” I asked, to assure myself.

“Yes, it is written here.” She pushed the papers towards me.

The weight of her words and tone was cold, and immediately I felt like an enemy.

“Is this nine?” I clarified by pointing to the second number while it blurred like 10.

“Told you it’s nine. Come back after filling it?” The harshness in her words betrayed her youthfulness and dignity of the white coat.

'Why is she being cold?' The heart of a teacher in me wanted to tell her, that if she could speak gently. I wondered how some other people must be talked to for carelessness in taking care of their health. 'She must know those who enter her chamber are ill people, our own citizen who come with hope. A glaring gaze and cold words would only murder the hope with which people come to the hospital.

I left the chamber with a vengeful thought. My displeasure was a gnawing question racing through me as I walked the hall to go to the Dentist chamber first and then to the Optimologist's. I felt displeased that an educated professional can be rude without knowing they were.

This wasn't the first time I had encountered people behind the table who failed to respect those they serve.

However, we must also understand that they are human like us, with dreams and difficulties that often stain the behaviour. What schooling make us as a successful servant is inadequate to make us educated person. If we are not intelligent enough to be aware of how our emotional winds affect other people, we will never be defined as educated professionals. If we fail to be led by awareness of how we must communicate and serve, how can we be called a leader? Leadership is not the sense of owning authority but understanding our responsibility as servants to those we serve.