DR. SHAHZEB

As a Medical Officer (SHO Equivalent) in the Rural Health Centre my clinical responsibilities are

• Detailed history taking • Performing relevant examination • Requesting appropriate investigations • Prescribing suitable medications to OPD patients • Discussing the disease management plans with senior medical officer as required • Admitting the patients with minor emergencies under our care • Providing treatment to the patients with minor emergencies like minor cuts, trauma, animal bites , high blood pressure, high blood sugar , asthma , etc • Discharging patients and preparing discharge summaries • Giving palliative care and advice regarding end of life care to the patients. • Counselling patients regarding healthy lifestyle , smoking and alcohol cessation • Counselling regarding TB medication compliance to the patient and relatives • Giving awareness to local public regarding Hepatitis, Polio, TB, Dengue, COVID and AIDS by various seminars and public health camps • Teaching junior staff regarding ultrasound, ECG, X-rays and CT scan findings • Attending Seminars , Workshops and Health sector related trainings. • Delivering Presentations on various health issues to our healthcare team members.

I am still working in this health facility and I believe that good communication skills and dedication to provide the excellent care along with coordinated team work are the key points by which any doctor can provide his best services at any health facility.

My job has given me a good level of experience in dealing with various types of OPD as well as Emergency cases of both adult and paediatric type.

As a House Officer, I worked as a Junior member of the healthcare team in both in-patient and out-patient settings at Jinnah Hospital Lahore which is a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Throughout my job, I learned the importance of Patient Centered care , being a safe doctor, asking for senior help readily and prioritizing the tasks according to their importance.

ROTATIONS: General Medicine : 3 months, General Surgery : 3 months , Psychiatry : 3 months , Cardiac Surgery : 3 months

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: • Clerking elective and emergency admissions and reporting to seniors • Managing Medical emergencies with the help of senior healthcare team members • Taking relevant history and carefully performing appropriate clinical examination and documenting clearly in the patient notes • Case presentation to consultants in daily morning rounds • Requesting radiological scans • Taking blood samples and sending the sample to the lab • Communicating with other healthcare staff members • Making initial management plans for the patients under supervision of consultants • Attending the ward rounds and making notes for quick revision of important information • Giving palliative care and advice regarding end of life care to the patients. • Performing clinical procedures under supervision and independently as well • Communicating effectively with patients and their relatives and addressing their concerns • Performing ward administrating tasks such as rewriting the drug prescription charts and preparing operation theatre list • Preparing discharge summaries of the patients to be reviewed by the consultants • Discussing the home management with the patient and their relatives • Making appropriate patient follow up plan after discussing with consultant • Attending regular departmental meetings on improving the quality of patient care • Counselling the patient regarding dietary and lifestyle modifications • Counselling regarding alcohol and smoking cessation • Counselling regarding pregnancy, breastfeeding and contraception • Breaking the bad news to the patient and the relative and providing support • Declaring death and completing death certificates • Teaching the nursing staff and medical students on their ward placements.

PROCEDURES AND SPECIAL TASKS PERFORMED DURING DIFFRENT ROTATIONS

GENERAL MEDICINE: • Venipuncture • Arterial Blood Gases sampling • IV cannulation • Prescribing IV fluids and Blood transfusion • IM and SC injection • Performing and interpreting ECG • NG tube insertion • Urethral catheterization • Abdominal Paracentesis • Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

GENERAL SURGERY: • Performing the Pre-operative assessment for patient fitness to surgery and anesthesia • Explaining the procedure and addressing the patient concerns regarding the surgery • Requesting appropriate investigations before surgery • Counselling the patient regarding bowel preparation before surgery • Performing Digital Rectal Examination while having a chaperone • Observing the surgical procedures and assisting the seniors • Stitching the wound • Stoma care • Post-operative wound management.

PSYCHIATRY • Observing the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy sessions • Observing Counselling sessions on different Psychiatric issues • Giving Intra-muscular injections to the unstable patients • Prescribing anti-depressants to the patients • Counselling patient relative regarding the patient mental condition • Clerking and making patient notes updated.

CARDIAC SURGERY • Observing and assisting endotracheal tube insertion • Observing taking the vessel grafts • Observing and assisting the senior during cardiac bypass surgery • Post-operative care and life style modification counselling • Clerking and making patient notes updated.