I was alone on my evening/night shift (16hrs) that time on our department when patients kept on coming till I cannot handle the procedures anymore. There's cardiac arrest at the ER, there's problem at the machine at the ICU and the countless treatments at the wards. I cannot keep up anymore.
This happened a few years back when I was still working at a tertiary hospital in our country.
I called Ate Josie, our nursing assistant during the day shift to please come to work (its her day off) for overtime of course, and help me with the increasing hospital demands from our department. She said yes and I was glad she could help.
Hours have passed and I was wondering what could have happened to her. She's not answering her cellphone.
I went to the emergency room to check on some patients there when I saw Ate Josie lying on one of our stretcher. She's on her white uniform and to my surprised...she's covered with mud, and some stains of blood!
I've noticed that she has abrasions, and small wounds on her elbows, on her knees and feet...
I immediately approached her with a worried face. I love Ate Josie and I don't know how to react on seing her like this!
That's when I realized her husband was there beside her holding her hand. Ate Josie is conscious but I could tell how much pain she's experiencing. She's complaining about her back and arms.
I asked her husband what happened when they injected her muscle relaxant to calm and relax her a little bit. He said that they're on their way to the hospital since I called Ate Josie to help me out, he was driving their own tricycle and Ate seated at his back when two guys riding a motorcycle grabbed Ate Josie's bag.
She was horrified! she held on to her bag while both vehicles are running fast at the highway. The guy grabbing her bag did not let go and pulled much harder till...
Ate Josie fell off the tricycle.
Dragged along the road.
Till the thieves got her bag with all her money.
Ate Josie was on the middle of the road.
Covered with mud.
Bleeding. In the rain.
I was in shocked. I think I wanna cry.
I don't know what to say. I think may face turned red with so much emotions going on with me. Guilt. Anger. I felt bad. I felt sad.
There's no one to blame but me. If I didn't call her. These won't even happen. She'll be at home having her cup of tea. She'll be asleep.
I should have left her alone.
When I approached Ate Josie after a while. I told her how I feel. I told her how sorry I was. She said that its not my fault, that I should not beat myself up...that we just be thankful that its not that bad...
I cannot even look at her husband's eye... Who's just been silent all along. I know he's thinking otherwise. But how can I blame him?
This whole mess is on me.
