The harsh circumstances that resident physicians in government hospitals in New Delhi must endure highlight the tremendous strain and difficulties associated with medical education and practice. These physicians frequently put in 24- to 30-hour shifts without taking regular days off, which exposes them to a great deal of blood, misery, and agony. Even though the medical field is considered noble, the reality that these healthcare professionals face is one of great hardship and hardship.
84% of postgraduate medical students report moderate to very high levels of stress, and 64% say their workload has a detrimental influence on their mental health, according to data from the National Medical Commission. These problems are made worse by the rigorous schedules, especially for first-year postgraduate (PG) students who are not granted any leave during their first year. Even though things get a little better in the years that follow, the load is still high. Senior residents, for example, are granted 50 days of leave per year, of which 30 days are earned leave; yet, the workload is still excessive.
A resident physician at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital talked about the difficulties faced by the emergency room, which sees up to 60 admissions per day. The department’s infrastructure is inadequate, and because of crowded wards and space constraints, patients are frequently placed on trolleys. Lack of proper facilities in the emergency room, where medical professionals work in close quarters, makes patient treatment more difficult and creates a chaotic atmosphere.
Lack of ventilators makes things much more difficult. At least ten patients may require intubation in an emergency, but there are only four ventilators on hand, thus attendants must manually ventilate some patients using an ambu bag. Patients and their families frequently misunderstand these infrastructure problems, and they may hold resident physicians accountable for shortages and delays even if they are outside of their control.
A senior resident from Maulana Azad Medical College’s gynecology department recounted experiences that further highlight the psychological and physical toll that resident physicians take. This physician brought to light the extreme emotional strain that comes with working with expectant mothers and their families, as stress can be exacerbated by the worry of miscarrying a child. Doctors frequently work 48-hour shifts, which puts a great deal of pressure on them to provide prompt, efficient care in life-threatening circumstances.
Furthermore, logistical problems that impede patient management include delayed report delivery and delays in receiving test findings because of batch processing. In addition to having an adverse effect on the quality of patient treatment, these delays also lead to resident doctors being verbally and physically abused and having their expectations of distressed patients and their families misplaced.
Furthermore, delayed test results put resident physicians at risk for infection and unintentional exposure to diseases like tuberculosis. These illnesses emphasize even more how urgently better hospital infrastructure and personnel safety precautions are needed.
All things considered, the difficult working environment, insufficient facilities, and psychological strain highlight how urgently reforms are needed to support resident physicians and improve patient care at government hospitals.
SOURCE :
TIMES OF INDIA
