Hospital Experience: PGH and NKI

Our son had a high fever last night that's why we decided to have him checked for the day. I took an emergency leave from work to attend his needs. Good thing his fever subsided a bit in the morning. We went to PGH to have him tested for Nitrol blue tetrazolium. NBT was only done in few hospitals as I was told by my son's pediatrician and PGH was one of them. It was my second time to go to PGH. The first time I went in this 100 year old hospital was about 10 years ago. I can't even recall where we passed as we went there hurriedly to visit a sick friend.

We got lost for about 15 minutes looking for the Immunology Laboratory. We inquired with some nurses but most of them seemed pissed off when we ask directions while a few were accommodating. We passed by what seems like a maze smelling a bit of mold dews and medicines and a few body odor of passersby. I even saw a cockroach crawling along the hallway and I almost stepped on it since I jumped to my surprise upon seeing it! We were supposed to meet an old friend who works as an intern in the said hospital but since we were told that PGH only do NBT test mostly on Mondays or by appointment, we had no choice but to leave the hospital soon.

Good thing the attendant nurse in the Immunology Laboratory told us that National Kidney Institute does NBT test as well - the two of them being the hospitals offering this type of test. She gave us the number of NKI, we called up and inquired and received good news that NBT test are normally done on Wednesdays. We requested if we can still be accommodated for the day as my son is scheduled to go back to Davao on Sunday. We were given about 30 minutes to go to NKI from PGH.

We travelled from Manila to QC in about 30 minutes and when we arrived at the NKI, we were impressed by the efficiency and hospitality of people working in the hospital. NKI boasts of quality services and we definitely got a service of more than what we expected.

Onie, the attending nurse willingly accommodated us and while we were waiting for our charging number to be called for payment, she already escorted me and my son for blood extraction. My son was terrified when he saw the needle and singing ABCs as loud and happily as I could to take of his fear seemed to help a bit. What helped him most cope during the painful extraction was his video caught on camera phone with his little sister running around the house.

I never thought a hospital like NKI existed here in the country. Results can even be emailed to the attending physician or can be retrieved about 3 days after. Hospital was neat and orderly. I hope that most hospitals will be taken to new heights like what NKI is now today to offer quality and better service to patients.