‘How do healthcare workers manage to be the bigger person?’: Man wonders after student nurse friend faces verbal abuse from cancer patient

SINGAPORE: It’s been almost two years since the “No Excuse for Abuse” campaign was launched to protect healthcare workers from being shouted at, insulted, or even physically assaulted by patients.

Posters, reminders, and public messages have been displayed across hospitals and clinics, all carrying the same message that healthcare workers deserve to feel safe and respected while doing their jobs.

Yet, despite these ongoing efforts, the problem still appears to persist.

Recently, a Reddit user shared on the r/SGExams forum that a student nurse he knew was verbally abused by a cancer patient while carrying out his duties.

“His job was to take vitals for a cancer patient,” the user wrote. “He did nothing prior to the patient. Throughout the procedure, the patient was giving him a hard time by insulting him/losing his temper. But the nursing student was calm, did his job, and even wished him a good day.”

Frustrated that such incidents continue to occur, the user added, “I see those who mistreat healthcare workers as uncivilised and ignorant. Please la, be more civilised and treat healthcare workers with respect. Even if they messed up, would berating them fix anything?”

He also questioned how healthcare workers manage to endure such treatment day after day.

“How? Like how?” he wrote. “How do healthcare workers manage to be the bigger person and not feel the need to talk back? How have you guys not reached your limit and snapped back at patients? How do healthcare workers handle it? Even if they appear unfazed, their feelings must be hurt and their self-esteem lowered. Should more be done to protect them? While the main problem is, of course, the uncivilised people, should healthcare workers have the right to file complaints or take legal action?”

“HCWs deserve way, way more pay. Not claps.”

In the comments, several Singaporean Redditors explained that healthcare workers are often able to stay calm because they understand what their patients are going through.

One wrote, “This is cognitive reframing. For example, you are standing still, then you feel a push from behind. In that instant, you are furious, but then you realise it was a blind person that pushed you. Your anger dissipates.”

Another commented, “Not condoning the actions, but cancer patients—some are terminally ill. They’re literally going through the 5 stages of grief before dying. HCWs would usually try to close both eyes, but it would be stressful for them. I’m more concerned about the mental health and welfare policies in place for HCWs.”

A third added, “HCWs deserve way, way more pay. Not claps. Having seen my relatives react to constant chronic pain, or how a small stroke can alter your personality, I won’t say that patients are always at fault.”

“Sometimes it’s frustration at the system for being so cold and uncaring. Then, coupled with the stress that as most Asians we dunno how to express or deal with, it comes out as anger. It’s not easy, and kudos to all HCWs that still try their best to be humans.”

In other news, an employee has alleged that his employer is forcing him to work without pay on a Saturday to finish an urgent project.

In a post on the r/singaporejobs subreddit on Wednesday (Oct 15), the worker shared that he was instructed to report to work over the weekend despite his employment contract stating that his official working hours are from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Read more: ‘Is this a violation of labour laws?’: SG employee on probation says his employer is forcing him to work without pay on Saturday to finish urgent project