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The author has nicely narrated the picture that was seen in front of his eyes day to day in Tanzania. This is the same scenario seen in our government hospital set up in Tamilnadu, India. Since there are rushing crowds in government hospitals most of the time, relatives of the family member will act as staff nurses by properly taking care of their relatives and also the neighboring patients. This picture is different in corporate set up where the patient is isolated with full anxious and rare allowance of relatives as visitors. It is to be felt that medical care with family care will provide 100 percent recovery. It is also to be noted that not every intervention is given in medical textbook for all diseases. If we come across a new method from the patient's relatives who were most of the time illiterate, we should recognize and appreciate and support them for early recovery of their family members.
But I have also faced some bad circumstances. For example, relatives can give something in love and care to post operative patients when it should be nil per oral on the last night and in the post operative period. Patients have then experienced an emergency scenario. So as doctors we should be vigilant in taking care of our patient from the intense love and care of the relatives.
Re: A patient who changed my practice
The author has nicely narrated the picture that was seen in front of his eyes day to day in Tanzania. This is the same scenario seen in our government hospital set up in Tamilnadu, India. Since there are rushing crowds in government hospitals most of the time, relatives of the family member will act as staff nurses by properly taking care of their relatives and also the neighboring patients. This picture is different in corporate set up where the patient is isolated with full anxious and rare allowance of relatives as visitors. It is to be felt that medical care with family care will provide 100 percent recovery. It is also to be noted that not every intervention is given in medical textbook for all diseases. If we come across a new method from the patient's relatives who were most of the time illiterate, we should recognize and appreciate and support them for early recovery of their family members.
But I have also faced some bad circumstances. For example, relatives can give something in love and care to post operative patients when it should be nil per oral on the last night and in the post operative period. Patients have then experienced an emergency scenario. So as doctors we should be vigilant in taking care of our patient from the intense love and care of the relatives.
Competing interests: No competing interests