Reflective on Patient Safety

I was given a chance to experience my first clinic visit to Klinik Kesihatan Jinjang and Klinik Kesihatan DBKL. Throughout the visit, I managed to observe a few things on regard with patient safety issues, doctor-patient relationship and communications, doctor-healthcare professional relationship, patient’s privacy and infection control as well.
I had the chance to observe the 3D ophthalmoscopy procedure, which is usually done to confirm diagnosis of a diabetic patient for diabetic retinopathy. The procedure was done in a small and dark room. It was a very good experience, as I gained insights of the procedure and the disease itself. However along, the optometrist was a bit unprofessional as she was too engrossed with her phone and disregarded a patient whom came in for a check and was at high tone dealing with her colleagues. I too did notice the lack of eye contact between the optometrist and the patient; particularly when the patient was trying to express his concerns. I was shocked by her discourteous action because this gives a very bad impression of the professional to patient. This might had created a bit of uncomfortable feeling of the patient. This situation would have made the patient hesitate to speak up and thus a failure of a healthcare professional to help accordingly. I am awakened to the fact that doctor’s affability and good communication are significant to maintain the relationship between patients and healthcare workers.
Apart from the procedure, I got the permission to enter a medium sized room with three doctors and three nurses in it. The room is for patients with chronic high blood pressure and diabetes. As I glanced at the room, there were no privacy curtains or any barriers that separate the patients and there was a waiting chair in the room for other patients as well. As the room was undersized and most of the patients were elderly, they tend to raise their voice when they were speaking. Therefore, the whole room became loud as everyone