My day at the Maternal and Child Health Clinic

Today went into the clinic with the hope of joining the community nurses for post-natal home visits. Unfortunately when I arrived there, was kinda too late. It was 8.25am.

Then my group mates who were posted at the clinic the previous week asked me to do the 'booking'. It is a term used to register mothers who come to the clinic the first time during the current pregancy. Once registered, they are absorbed into one of the world's best ante-natal health care system...let me say it proudly..haha..Malaysia Boleh. They will be asked to come for regular follow-up until the baby is born. Once the baby is born, he/she will be assessed and followed-up until 4 1/2 years old. The mom will be under post-natal care for about 1 month.

So, not knowing what I was getting myself into, I agreed and grabed the patient's card.
Problem 1: The patient was more fluent in Mandarin. okok, so I gelabah my half-past-six Chinese. Thank God, I found words that I never uttered before.
Problem 2: I didn't know that the card I was filling was going to be a legal document. No errors. Oppss...a few cancel here and there.
Problem 3: Some info is required to be written in red ink. Unsure info in pencil. All I have was a blue pen. ****
Problem 4: I forgot to count the EDD.
Problem 5: The patient had an ectopic pregnancy before. How to fill in the gravid and para? How should it be written in the Obs history?
Problem 6: Explain to the patient the test for STD... what is STD in Mandarin anyway?
Problem 7: Wasn't familiar with the weight and height scale at the clinic. The patient appeared too short. lame...
Well, I shouldnt go on...sounds bad la. Anyway, thanks to my friends around who helped whatever they can. Finally the patient was registered with a few glitches.

Well, this is only one part of what we are to learn at the clinic, besides knowing the contraceptive services available, the child growth development services, immunizations, antenatal, school health etc...
So fun...