Visited private hospital to see specialist about doing an MRI scan.  In the bill there was 100 thb for “outpatient medical services charge” and 140thb for “nursing and midwifery charges”. No problem here as they check weight/height/blood pressure even if they’re unnecessary. Came back the next day to get MRI results. Same nurse put me through the same weight/height/blood pressure tests. Joking I said you remember me from yesterday so you think it is necessary to do these checks again? She smiled and calmly directed me to the scale “follow me this way please”.

I encounter this dogmatic approach at work with my Thai colleagues. I find them lazy in their thinking as they prefer following what’s already in place rather than applying logic in a situation. The scary thing is that we work in an innovation field with people having postgraduate degrees. “But we usually don’t do it like this” is a common phrase. No wonder little innovation comes out of Thailand. I have filed two patents at work in Thailand which the company finds beyond belief!!! Go figure.  

8 minutes ago, AustinRacing said:

Same nurse put me through the same weight/height/blood pressure tests. Joking I said you remember me from yesterday so you think it is necessary to do these checks again

So you find it acceptable mocking a nurse for doing her job correctly..... Amazing.

Nurses have procedures to follow, what is wrong with that.

Maybe one day you will understand.

8 minutes ago, colinneil said:

So you find it acceptable mocking a nurse for doing her job correctly..... Amazing.

Nurses have procedures to follow, what is wrong with that.

Maybe one day you will understand.

Hey man get off your soapbox. The OP was just telling a story with a bit of humour. Maybe you need to get your BP checked.

1 hour ago, couchpotato said:

Hey man get off your soapbox. The OP was just telling a story with a bit of humour. Maybe you need to get your BP checked.

Your too late, checked my BP 2 hours ago, same as every day.

So you are another ##### who thinks it is ok having a go at nurses just doing their job.

I had this at a local clinic, I just said "No thanks" and sat down. Nothing further said.

This almost robotic behaviour drives me nutz in some circumstances.

 

17 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Your too late, checked my BP 2 hours ago, same as every day.

So you are another ##### who thinks it is ok having a go at nurses just doing their job.. Pathetic.

 

Nowhere was he mocking the nurse. He was mocking the procedure........as I have myself.

Taking vital signs every time you go to the hospital, even if it's the next day is just a backside-cover for the hospital which you pay for. Nice earner for the hospital.

 

 

11 minutes ago, colinneil said:

So you find it acceptable mocking a nurse for doing her job correctly..... Amazing.

Nurses have procedures to follow, what is wrong with that.

Maybe one day you will understand.

I get the nurse doing her job and respect that. Main point was whether the qualified nurse can see merit or clinically justify checking one’s height/weight/blood pressure less than 24hours after the first test. 

9 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Your too late, checked my BP 2 hours ago, same as every day.

So you are another ##### who thinks it is ok having a go at nurses just doing their job.. Pathetic.

 

Yes, you can add a "sad" face to my post, but, doesn't change the fact that you are wrong.

14 minutes ago, colinneil said:

So you find it acceptable mocking a nurse for doing her job correctly..... Amazing.

Nurses have procedures to follow, what is wrong with that.

Maybe one day you will understand.

Good comment!

It's always amazing when supposedly intelligent people, or people who think they are smart, don't understand that low paid people only follow what they were told by their superiors. And if she would listen to him and not do her job then she might get into trouble or lose her job. 

Smart people...

still, the Nurse was following her Daily Charts procedure 

 

If someone has a problem with a Hospitals procedures, then why not put it in writing... to the Hospital. 

 

Unless maybe one knows the Hospital accesses TV, instead of its own Complaints & Suggestions book? 

Just now, AustinRacing said:

I get the nurse doing her job and respect that. Main point was whether the qualified nurse can see merit or clinically justify checking one’s height/weight/blood pressure less than 24hours after the first test. 

You think the nurse actually wants to go through the same thing every time?

It is standard procedure in hospitals, both private and government.

The poor nurse would probably get grief from her superiors for not doing it.

1 minute ago, AustinRacing said:

I get the nurse doing her job and respect that. Main point was whether the qualified nurse can see merit or clinically justify checking one’s height/weight/blood pressure less than 24hours after the first test. 

Blood pressure can change at anytime, and, quite correctly, should be checked every time you visit the hospital.

28 minutes ago, AustinRacing said:

Visited private hospital to see specialist about doing an MRI scan.  In the bill there was 100 thb for “outpatient medical services charge” and 140thb for “nursing and midwifery charges”. No problem here as they check weight/height/blood pressure even if they’re unnecessary. Came back the next day to get MRI results. Same nurse put me through the same weight/height/blood pressure tests. Joking I said you remember me from yesterday so you think it is necessary to do these checks again? She smiled and calmly directed me to the scale “follow me this way please”.

Use a government hospital ........ 50bht + consumables.

By the way ...... MRI scan is also an unnecessary procedure IMHO.

1 minute ago, Thaiwrath said:

Blood pressure can change at anytime, and, quite correctly, should be checked every time you visit the hospital.

 

Yes it does happen... One day I was in the Eye Clinic getting the blood and eyeball pressure recorded for them to accurately select which IOL I was to receive.

 

When I came back in for the actual procedure, I later left with it done - BUT when using the eye it was all out of focus (and still is a decade later)

- and the Specialist in Review said the differing pressures from one day to another really makes a difference to an outcome.

22 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Nurses have procedures to follow, what is wrong with that.

 

Yes , when I was in hospital for a few days a trio of pretty nurses wanted to give me a full bed bath including wedding tackle. Wife shoed them out the door. What a killjoy , especially as it was included in the bill.

10 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

 

Yes, you can add a "sad" face to my post, but, doesn't change the fact that you are wrong.

 

So, anyone, anyone at all, please show where in the OP was he mocking the nurse.

You can't.

Therefore, those that are imagining an insult that wasn't there are truly the "sad" ones. Or, to put it in terms that they understand.......Fake News!!

1 minute ago, Thaiwrath said:

Blood pressure can change at anytime, and, quite correctly, should be checked every time you visit the hospital.

Fair point. The nurse however had my paperwork with her and knew I was there to go through my MRI with the doctor. Blood pressure was clinically irrelevant. Are they not supposed to apply their nursing training or are they just clerical staff treating every patient (maybe customer) the same?

26 minutes ago, colinneil said:

So you find it acceptable mocking a nurse for doing her job correctly..... Amazing.

Nurses have procedures to follow, what is wrong with that.

Maybe one day you will understand.

 

My experience is nurses are pretty incompetent. They constantly bruise both arms taking blood and can't take blood pressure correctly. In the US none would be considered above an LVN and many medical staff in doctors offices are trained better. I realize you have seen far more nurses than me but that's my experience.

Just now, AustinRacing said:

Fair point. The nurse however had my paperwork with her and knew I was there to go through my MRI with the doctor. Blood pressure was clinically irrelevant. Are they not supposed to apply their nursing training or are they just clerical staff treating every patient (maybe customer) the same?

It's SOP. If it were out of control perhaps they wouldn't perform any services.

Putting aside the particular matter of the hospital & the nurse, the broad picture is that, in a highly hierarchical society, people are not taught to think for themselves. They are simply taught to obey.

 

I see this all the time here in my Khmer peasant family. With the exception of my b/f, most of the family cannot work out how to use simple 'new' or 'modern' things such as a venetian blind, or how to wash a delicate 'Western' item such as a wine glass without breaking it.  Once shown how to do it, they can learn but cannot work it out for themselves. 

 

When we were building our house here in Prasat, the workers had a tendency to do whatever the semi-skilled 'foreman' or 'builder' told them to do, even if they knew it was not the right thing to do. They couldn't point out the problem to the boss, so many things - fortunately only small things - had to be redone to get them right. This only happened when the Big Boss (my b/f) barked orders.

2 minutes ago, kynikoi said:

It's SOP. If it were out of control perhaps they wouldn't perform any services.

I think you’ve been in Thailand too long lol. Follow procedure even if it does not make sense. So if my bp/height/weight had dramatically changed from a day before the doctor would not have examined my scans?

Its just another example of the "bill padding thieves" imo

7 minutes ago, AustinRacing said:

I think you’ve been in Thailand too long lol. Follow procedure even if it does not make sense. So if my bp/height/weight had dramatically changed from a day before the doctor would not have examined my scans?

 

Little robots. If they skip a step in the process they won't know where they are. Lost.

 

Recently had a nurse try to force a charge on me to see a doctor to pick up prepaid test results. I also paid previously to see doctor. They could have literally just handed me the piece of paper and the medical certificate both of which I paid for.

 

But try to extort another 300b. The nurse...

29 minutes ago, colinneil said:

You think the nurse actually wants to go through the same thing every time?

It is standard procedure in hospitals, both private and government.

The poor nurse would probably get grief from her superiors for not doing it.

 

Regardless, he makes a valid point.

 

Just how incredibly dumb it is to take blood pressure/temperature check every time before appointment to see a doctor. It reeks of 3rd world incompetence. Personally the blood pressure machine makes me very nervous and my BP is many times lower at home. 

 

How many useless blood pressure medications have been prescribed due to this dumb process? 

Personally i feel folks should cut Colinneil some slack. After all he has been through and has to live with and deal with on a daily basis is unquestionably a lesson in perseverance and a no quit mentality when faced with a seemingly insurmountable challenge facing him.

     I have a lot of respect for his don't give up ethic and not being consumed by self-pity. He is a great role model and I can only be 1/2 as strong as he is when faced with such difficulties he has had to endure on a daily basis.

     Colinneil you have my utmost respect and God Bless you as you go through life.

31 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Use a government hospital ........ 50bht + consumables.

By the way ...... MRI scan is also an unnecessary procedure IMHO.

Yes all the government hospitals are quite happy for you to take you weight and use the (Arm in ) machine to check your own BP...... but the private ones do still take you into another room. I never figured it out.....except for the charge.

 

What was the charge for the private MRI-?- I had one done Government hospital last year--6,500Bt Full body.

 

 

15 minutes ago, Pravda said:

 

Regardless, he makes a valid point.

 

Just how incredibly dumb it is to take blood pressure/temperature check every time before appointment to see a doctor. It reeks of 3rd world incompetence. Personally the blood pressure machine makes me very nervous and my BP is many times lower at home. 

 

How many useless blood pressure medications have been prescribed due to this dumb process? 

My situation mirrors yours exactly, home - BP good, hospital BP through the roof.

22 minutes ago, kynikoi said:

 

My experience is nurses are pretty incompetent. They constantly bruise both arms taking blood and can't take blood pressure correctly. In the US none would be considered above an LVN and many medical staff in doctors offices are trained better. I realize you have seen far more nurses than me but that's my experience.

They constantly bruise both arms taking blood.....  

 

I find it depends on the Nurse, some it is simple, had 100's of blood samples taken,  other maybe have 2 goes, 3 years ago one tried 3 times in both arms and then took it from a vain in my hand = lot of pain in my little finger + a black spot on that finger, is still there 3 years later + pain some days !!

 

as for blood pressure, I have a upper arm machine at home,  I find it can change a lot in a few hours.. eg last week 7am was 137/61, felt odd at 11 am took it again 99/50....   

yesterday woke up with a warning had the shakes my Blood Sugar was 58, if it drops below 60 always get the shakes thankfully

1 hour ago, AustinRacing said:

I get the nurse doing her job and respect that. Main point was whether the qualified nurse can see merit or clinically justify checking one’s height/weight/blood pressure less than 24hours after the first test. 

As said said she is doing her job. 

 

Not wishing you get to stay in hospital but if you do they check your blood pressure every 4 hours.

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

Your too late, checked my BP 2 hours ago, same as every day.

So you are another ##### who thinks it is ok having a go at nurses just doing their job.

I dont think he was "having a go" at nurses, just using it as an example ????