Female doctor dedicated to a special mission
Choosing infectious diseases - a field that regularly deals with special cases, faces many epidemics, many challenges and risks, but with the mindset of making dedicated efforts for public health, difficulties become the driving force that urges Dr. Nguyen Thi Hoai Thuong (Vinh City General Hospital) to stick with and dedicate herself.
Overcoming challenges for a noble mission
Dr. Hoai Thuong chose to work at the Department of Tropical Diseases, which means that every day she faces many risks of infection due to contact with infectious agents through the respiratory tract, blood or direct contact. Although there are protective measures, in reality, labor protection conditions are still not really optimal; requiring doctors and nurses at the department to always strictly follow infection prevention procedures, both to protect themselves and to ensure patient safety.
On the other hand, the disease is constantly changing, making treatment increasingly complicated. Heavy work pressure is the challenge that Dr. Thuong and her colleagues have to face every day.
Recalling the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, for Dr. Hoai Thuong, it was an unprecedented experience in her career. There was a case that she and her colleagues could not forget: a female patient (about 40 years old), hospitalized in a state of severe respiratory failure. The patient was the mother of two children, when she learned that she had severe COVID-19, she burst into tears and panicked because she was worried about the safety of her whole family.
Faced with a dangerous case with a high risk of infection, unable to encourage the patient, only able to look at each other through masks and goggles, Dr. Thuong felt more deeply the pain the patient was enduring and became more determined to save him. Every day that passed was a battle between life and death. All human resources, machines and equipment were mobilized to treat the patient. After many days of doctors' utmost efforts, the patient miraculously recovered.
Doctor Thuong still remembers clearly the moment the patient was discharged from the hospital and returned to his family, his eyes filled with happiness and gratitude. At that moment, the female doctor understood more deeply the power of unity, dedication, empathy, sharing and accompanying the patient - the source of energy that can win every race of life and death.
Carrying out the noble mission of taking care of patients' health, doctors sometimes have to sacrifice themselves. Recalling the time when she was pregnant with her first child but still participated in the daily work of examining and treating patients with many risk factors for infection, Dr. Thuong still felt nervous when she herself contracted an infectious disease: "Although I was aware of taking precautions to prevent infection, unfortunately I still contracted chickenpox when I was 36 weeks pregnant, about to give birth. The whole family was very worried about the health of mother and baby. However, with professional knowledge to help me take care of my health, along with the help and encouragement of the hospital leadership, departments and the attention of colleagues - who are fighting the epidemic with me every day; fortunately, my mother and I got through it safely."
Although knowing that the working environment always faces a high risk of infection, with the enthusiasm of youth and the heart of a physician carrying out his mission of service, Dr. Thuong has been attached to the Department of Tropical Diseases - Vinh City General Hospital for 10 years.
Efforts to improve skills
During that time accompanying thousands of patients, facing countless challenges, the recovery and joy of the patients have fueled great motivation to help her always have faith and constantly strive to improve her skills.
Dr. Thuong shared: "I am fortunate to work at a hospital that is always a pioneer in applying digital transformation and updating the latest trends in healthcare. Together with my colleagues, we constantly improve and perfect the process of approaching, examining and treating patients, especially complicated infections; to ensure safety when in contact and protect the health of the medical team and minimize cross-infection among patients.
Accordingly, during the Covid-19 epidemic and some seasonal epidemics, infectious diseases such as measles, flu, tuberculosis, etc., the Department of Tropical Diseases built a patient management model by classifying patients right from the initial examination stage at the respiratory clinic; providing separate paths for patients with infectious diseases; implementing 4 on-site (prevention, isolation and treatment; facilities, equipment, medicines, protection; funding and human resources); becoming a model for colleagues at other hospitals to learn from".
Implementing the motto "prevention is better than cure", along with the task of caring for and treating patients, Dr. Thuong and his colleagues always pay special attention to propaganda work, raising awareness of disease prevention for each patient, to protect themselves and the community.
Despite being busy with work, Dr. Thuong always tries to "cherish" every spare moment to participate in research projects, cooperate professionally with upper-level medical units to update and cultivate new knowledge and skills; thereby, contributing to improving the quality of treatment and care for patients, minimizing complications and the risk of spreading diseases.
Although being attached to a job with many difficulties and challenges, requiring love for the profession and sacrifice, being able to devote oneself to a special field, not only taking care of patients' health but also preventing the spread of diseases, contributing to protecting the community, for Dr. Hoai Thuong, that job is a special, extremely noble mission to which to devote oneself!
