May Day call. So far so good ( yes, yes, touch wood! ) :)

This site has been linked again, this time to MSNBC. . Their review is pretty interesting, especially the part about my blog sounding like a war correspondent's report!

With the new housemen joining us tomorrow, here's wishing you good luck! The situation where I work isn't anywhere as scary as that at Tan Tock Seng, of course, but we all know that SARS can pop up when and where you least expect it, so be careful. And speaking of being careful, here're a few tips for you newbies:

1. If you're working in a non-air-conditioned ward, be sure to wear comfortable, not-too-thick clothes. With the masks, gowns and gloves we don, rounds can be a real nightmare if you become dehydrated.

2. Don't be complacent. You may be tempted to skip certain protective steps during the rush of ward work, but after my close brush with a SARS patient about a month ago, I've learnt that no patient is considered SARS-free, and it's better to be safe than sorry.

3. Make sure your N95 mask is of the correct size, and that you learn how to test it for leaks. There are specialized staff to help you with this. Don't treat it lightly, 'cos it will save your life.

4. Be responsible when discarding used protective gear. It should be thrown into special biohazard bins -- these have big yellow signs on them -- NOT the usual wastebaskets. And if you want to carry your masks around the hospital, put them in a sealed plastic bag ( which you can get from the office here at CGH ) instead of swinging them around when you walk.

5. Whenever you clerk a new case, the first thing you have to establish is whether the patient has any risk of exposure to SARS. Be detailed, no matter how painstaking and time-consuming it may be. We are living in different times now, and our first priority isn't to get the correct diagnosis, it's to answer the question: "Does this person have SARS or not?" Things to cover would therefore include:

a) travel to SARS-affected countries
b) visits to local hotspots, ie. all the hospitals, certain nursing homes, the Pasir Panjang market; and don't forget high-risk areas like Changi Airport.
c) contact with SARS patients / SARS contacts
d) whether the patient's family members are currently on home quarantine

Of course, direct questioning doesn't guarantee total honesty, so if the patient or his accompanying relative decide to lie, he or she could still slip through the net. That's precisely why strict protective measure are so important.


I'm rather sad that I'm on call the night American Idol is on, but at least my timer will help me get it down on tape. :) Clay Aiken, my favourite, will be singing "Build Me Up Buttercup" and "Solitaire", with the theme being "The Sixties / Neil Sedaka" -- really cool theme, by the way. :)

Well, I'm looking forward to meeting my new housemen tomorrow. Have a good rest today, and I'm gonna sign off and do some reading.