So, a man with a bushy goatee was rushed to my hospital’s triage area with some relatives. The history gathered from relatives were that, “He just collapsed.” The patient had messed up himself. Fortunately, Nurse Asana was in-charge of the triage area. And tidying messed up patients is her forte. If she cleans up a patient, wallahi, you will fall heads over heel for her.
After the patient’s vital signs were taken, she set up an IV line for the man, she undressed him, savloned him and inserted a urinary catheter for man. Since, the man was unconscious, the urinary catheter was necessary to prevent him wetting himself again and the traige area.
Thankfully, the man regained consciousness about an hour time. He bit shocked that to be on a hospital bed, draped to the neck. But even more shocked to realise that he had urinary catheter in-situ. He was later discharged home.
Three days later, the man returned to the hospital dressed in a long white zalabia with a lemon green taqiyah. This time, his goatee was neatly trimmed. As he walked in, some of the nurses recognised him. He entered the OPD area and asked very gently, “Three days ago, I was here. Can I see the nurse who attended to me?”. Almost all nurses around said in unison, “Oh. That’s Sister Asana. She’s in the nurse’s room”.
About 30 minutes later, I saw Asana and jokingly said, “Asana, your patient was here. Let’s share whatever he brought to you”. Asana got furious. “Snr Hanan, do you know what the man came here and did?”, she started.
You won’t believe it. He came and greeted gently with soft voice and wanted to introduce himself. I said I know him. He then started, “Are you my wife to see my nakedness? Who asked you to undress me and see my nakedness? Even my own sister is mahram to me. How much more you, a complete stranger. From today till Judgement Day, I will never forgive you for seeing my nakedness. On Judgement Day, Allah will judge between you and I”.
I almost collapsed because I thought the man came to give her a big gift.
The faith of a patient is central to seeking for healthcare and going through recovery. But honestly, this really hurt my feelings. In my practice, I have had ladies refused me to give them a common IM injection on the butts. That’s absolutely normal. Patients can choose who to care for them (if there is that luxury). But this man was not in that position (I could be wrong).
Bottomline is, Northern Region has the highest Muslim population in Ghana. May be the religious leaders must have to come together and put up an ultramodern mega Islamic hospital where these “mahram” issues are strictly adhered to.
By the way, Nurse Asana is a General Arts nurse. (LoL)
By Hannan-Confidence Abdul