Dealing with an illness, injury or another health concern is a scary, stressful time – and in those kinds of situations, we’re not always thinking clearly or keeping our expectations in check. It’s hard, when you’re suffering and afraid, to recognize our health care system operates in a specific way for the benefit of everyone who accesses it. Doctors and nurses are trained to prioritize life-threatening issues over less-severe cases, to help ensure those in the most need receive care as soon as possible. A bit of a wait, or a somewhat distracted care provider, may be an annoyance for those unfortunate enough to suffer a minor injury while someone else requires more significant attention. However, if it was your life – or that of one of your loved ones – on the line, wouldn’t you be grateful for the hard work and dedication of the hospital staff? It’s also definitely an inconvenience to be required to return to the hospital or clinic to receive follow-up care, such as new dressing on a wound. But instead of sending you home with the tools to do it yourself – which would almost certainly be paid for by taxpayers – your follow-up visit allows nurses to examine the area and evaluate the state of healing, before wrapping you back up in the precise way they were taught. It’s not easy to work in the health-care industry, but we’re thankful to those who have made the decision to pursue the practice and keep the rest of us healthy and safe.
