We have two operation tables in the emergency OT, because it functions as the routine OT in the mornings and requires two tables at that time. The work is so much in the emergency hours that we require two tables at that time too. Unfortunately the civic body had made arrangements for nurses and servants for only one table in emergency hours in 1926 and has not increased the number after the population has increased so much over 88 years. The nurses and servants overworked for many years and somehow kept two tables operational in emergency hours. But the labor union has put its foot down and refused to run two tables at one time. My efforts over ten years have yielded nothing. Now there are queues of patients waiting for emergency surgery. When a more serious patient comes along, a less serious patient is shifted down the line.
That day we had a patient in early labor. She required to undergo a cesarean section for pelvic contraction in the afternoon. But she was still in the labor ward awaiting her turn in the OT when I reached the labor ward for my morning round the next day.
"Doctor, I have been waiting. They have been taking other patients for operations, though they came much later than I did."
"We are sorry" I said. "But we could not help it. They were quite sick and needed operations urgently. They had to be given priority."
"I want water" she said. "I have not eaten or drunk anything since yesterday afternoon."
"If you take anything orally, there may be difficulty in giving you anesthesia safely" I explained. "We are giving you saline intravenously."
"When will my operation be done?" she asked.
"As soon as we get the operation theater" I said.
"I have not slept all night" she complained.
I had a solution for this problem. "You can go to sleep right now" I said. "We will wake you up when we get the operation theater."
She probably saw the joke and did not pester me any further. We performed her operation soon after, and now she is in the postnatal ward, her troubles forgotten with the happiness of holding her baby in her arms.
That day we had a patient in early labor. She required to undergo a cesarean section for pelvic contraction in the afternoon. But she was still in the labor ward awaiting her turn in the OT when I reached the labor ward for my morning round the next day.
"Doctor, I have been waiting. They have been taking other patients for operations, though they came much later than I did."
"We are sorry" I said. "But we could not help it. They were quite sick and needed operations urgently. They had to be given priority."
"I want water" she said. "I have not eaten or drunk anything since yesterday afternoon."
"If you take anything orally, there may be difficulty in giving you anesthesia safely" I explained. "We are giving you saline intravenously."
"When will my operation be done?" she asked.
"As soon as we get the operation theater" I said.
"I have not slept all night" she complained.
I had a solution for this problem. "You can go to sleep right now" I said. "We will wake you up when we get the operation theater."
She probably saw the joke and did not pester me any further. We performed her operation soon after, and now she is in the postnatal ward, her troubles forgotten with the happiness of holding her baby in her arms.
