Came across this article in the papers, about NUH conducted a research to see how superstitious the healthcare workers are, and according to the study, 83.3% thinks that they are not while in actual fact, we have a lot of taboos which we will try to avoid.
1. Eating Buns (Paus)
Pau=包which actually means either 打包(屍體) *Wrap the bodies* or in Hokkien, "Pau Kao Liao" (everything also have to do)
We can't even have the thought of eating "Pau" at work, I ever tried once, wanting to buy Red Bean Paste Bun and I got a lecture from the Senior Enrolled Nurse; then all of a sudden, we become very busy in the ward and everyone started running here and there, can imagine how I was being blamed for? -LOL-
Kian told me that there is this Doctor who don't believe in this and ate 7 Paus on his call and ended up doing exactly 7 Emergency Caesearens.
2. Shower before work
It is always encouraged for us to shower before we come to work and for the night call doctors to shower prior to start of their calls. It is believed that by doing so, you washed away the unlucky stuff and have at least a better call.
There was this new House Office (HO) who came to our ward breatheless, apparently her call that night was bad, REALLY BAD. Looking at the pile of files at the counter, I asked her, "Have you showered?"
She was a bit stunned when I asked her that and told me she has no time for that now.
And there I go, "I don't care how you do it, you can just splash a pail of water from head to toe and then get changed, just go and shower no matter what otherwise you will never settle."
"But how to go when I am so busy, everywhere is calling me!" She was a lil' frustrated.
"Do you know that there is a unwritten rule that if you don't shower prior to your call, you will never be settled? And if you can't settled means we will have a lot of work to do as well since we are a team."
She looked at me, giving me the "is it?" look.
Well, a couple of weeks later, I saw her again, and she told me, "You know what, I think it is true, ever since that night I will shower everytime before my call and I always have very good calls."
In the research, out of 54 doctors, 14 of them believe in this.
And even the one who ate 4 Paus is now following this rule faithfully.
3. Doors have to be unlocked, lights have to be on, individual toilet door have to left open within the week when a client passed away.
Well, we do have funny things going on if we don't do this. Imagine banging of doors, playing of call bells, playing with taps...
Ask Kian, ask Ah Ma, they will tell you more.
And I just had a call bell night.
4. No flowers at the counter
This is from Ah Ma.
Everytime when we have pots of flowers at the counter, we would definitely get some undesired cases whereby require us to pick up the lil' angels; Or if not, it would be a very busy day.
So my department there is no greeny pots around, Ah Ma threw them all when she sees them.
Which in a way, I think it's quite true, because I have observed it.
5. Don't ever say "free" or "bored" in your shift!
Since you complain, ya, there you go, tonnes of admissions for you to do. All the weird weird funny funny cases, until you have no time to even visit the ladies.
