Endorsement in clinical should always be the professional handover of the responsibility for patients’ care.
- 1. The “I’m Ready for Endorsement” Deception
- 2. The Endorsement that Begins at 7:00 but Somehow Ends in the Next Century
- 3. The Shift to Professional Voice Real Quick
- 4. The Case of the Vanishing Chart
- 5. The Silent Critique of the New Shift
- 6. The Relative Waiting for the Endorsement Process to Begin Before They Ask Any Questions
- 7. The Infamous “Please Inform the Next Shift.”
- 8. The Nurse Who Provides Netflix-Level Descriptions
- 9. The Pantry Debriefing Session Post-Duty
- 10. The Scared Out of Your Mind Ride Back Home
- 11. The New Crew Already Seems Emotionally Worn Down
- 12. The Fake “Okay Lang” Ending That People Use
But in the Philippines?
Endorsement also becomes: a memory game, therapy group discussion, silent blame game, as well as a stress-fueled comedy show.
Every medical worker understands that the most entertaining stuff doesn’t occur while you’re on duty. Instead, the funny stuff happens right before the endorsement…or right after because by that time, all your brain cells stop functioning properly.
Below is the list of the most accurate and painful moments for any Filipino nurse, intern, clerk, or healthcare worker.
1. The “I’m Ready for Endorsement” Deception
There will always be this staff who will turn up for endorsement, thinking that they’re ready.
Chart? Yep. Pen? Got it. Coffee? Extra-large, got it.
But deep inside? The brain is taking too long, like the poor hospital Wi-Fi connection. You can actually watch them rack their brains to figure out who the febrile patient is, who was pulling out their oxygen tube, and which watcher was talking to “management.”
And then someone asks, “What’s the latest BP of Bed 8?”
And suddenly, everyone’s soul leaves their body.
2. The Endorsement that Begins at 7:00 but Somehow Ends in the Next Century
Every shift starts with the illusion of hope.
“Let’s do this quickly.”
This statement has never been true for Philippine healthcare.
Since one endorsement of a patient somehow turns into:
a full documentary, a medical thriller, and a court hearing.
The story of one nurse begins:
“The patient vomited twice…”
And then somehow includes:
the grandson of the patient, a late lab result, an unresponsive doctor, and a thermometer that was gone at 3 AM. At some point, the incoming shift is not being endorsed anymore. They are being taught.
3. The Shift to Professional Voice Real Quick
Before endorsement:
“Who took my pen?”
During endorsement:
“The patient was conscious, oriented, ambulatory, and afebrile…”
What makes Filipino healthcare professionals suddenly sound like they were reading off a medical documentary when they endorse patients?
The voice changes. The body posture changes. Even their handwriting becomes slightly legible. And right after endorsement:
“Girl, I’m hungry.”
4. The Case of the Vanishing Chart
Despite the best organization in the ward, there will be one chart that disappears right at the start of endorsement.
Always.
And the searching process will be absolute chaos.
One person searches behind the counter. Another searches the medication tray. Somebody pins the students. The students pin each other.
While all the while, the chart is typically:
Behind another chart,
In a file,
Or right in front of everybody all along.
And the one who finds it? Well, he thinks he solved a national criminal case.
“Found it!”
5. The Silent Critique of the New Shift
Though they appear to be calm… their eyes are watching.
They see:
the incomplete paperwork, the overflowing sharps box, the unknown contents of the cup at the station, and the certainty that someone has had a tough shift.
Next comes the most dangerous question:
“Busy?”
Because being “busy” in hospital talk means:
three admissions, one code, two confused patients, one angry family member, and an emotional breakdown.
And how does the outgoing shift reply?
“Okay lang.”
Which means:
“I’ve been suffering.”
6. The Relative Waiting for the Endorsement Process to Begin Before They Ask Any Questions
Family members know how to time things perfectly.
The whole shift? Dead silent.
When does the endorsement process begin?
Bam!
“Nurse?”
And once they begin, there’s no holding back.
“Why is he sleeping?”
“Can he eat rice?”
“Why is the IV slow?”
“Can we take out his oxygen for a TikTok video?”
“What’s creatinine?”
While the nurse is busy with:
endorsing medicines, recalling physicians’ orders, and surviving mentally.
Olympic medals for Filipino nurses’ multitasking skills are well deserved!
See Also: Why Should I Hire You Nurse Juan? A Tribute for Filipino Nurses Abroad
7. The Infamous “Please Inform the Next Shift.”
The scariest sentence in healthcare is:
“Please inform the next shift.”
After all, when responsibility comes into play, someone forgets. Someone assumes it was done. Someone writes it down on paper that no one sees.
And then at 2 am:
“WAIT, didn’t anyone endorse this?”
8. The Nurse Who Provides Netflix-Level Descriptions
There is always that one nurse at any hospital who describes everything.
Everything!
“Patient shifted to left lateral position independently at precisely 2:13 AM…”
Madam, may I say respectfully that we only wanted to know if the patient is stable?
Their descriptions include:
timings,
mood settings,
environmental factors,
as well as the patient’s astrological sign.
While the rest of us age in silence.
9. The Pantry Debriefing Session Post-Duty
The “official” endorsement stops at the station. The “real” endorsement takes place in the pantry. This is where tired healthcare professionals congregate, as if they just emerged from war.
Common topics discussed include: troublesome watchers or relatives, late doctor responses, lack of resources, embarrassing moments, and the fact that no one had time to urinate.
Somebody always declares, “Resignation is my only option.”
But that never happens. Since trauma bonding is more powerful than resignation.
10. The Scared Out of Your Mind Ride Back Home
There’s nothing more relieving than ending your shift.
You ride the jeepney. You relax. You breathe.
But then your mind goes wild:
“Was I able to endorse the medication?”
Panic sets in. And now you are reviewing your shift like a documentary on crime scene investigation. At times, you would even think about sending a message to the ward.
Five minutes later, it would be like:
“Oh, right, I endorsed it.”
Medical professionals have recreational mini heart attacks.
11. The New Crew Already Seems Emotionally Worn Down
They just started their shift. But for some reason, they seem so worn down that they’re ready to quit. Just one look at the census numbers, and things change. You can actually see them adding up the suffering.
And then one person says casually:
“By the way, we have three new admissions.”
Morale is instantly gone.
12. The Fake “Okay Lang” Ending That People Use
After 12 hours of pandemonium, charts gone missing, troublesome relatives, endless endorsements, and sustaining oneself on coffee and prayers… There will still be one person who says:
“It’s an okay shift.”
Not really.
Everybody knows it’s really not okay.
However, Filipino health care providers are experts at making themselves believe everything is okay while mentally buffering. And let’s face it, humor in hospitals may be the very reason why most health care providers make it through the day. Because when your shift is absolutely tiring… There will be times when you just need to laugh about it with other people.
Have you had an amusing, crazy, or memorable encounter in terms of endorsements? Perhaps a crazy pre-shift encounter, a post-shift breakdown inside the kitchen, or an encounter at shift changes that continues to entertain your colleagues until now? Please tell us about your experiences in terms of what really happens in Filipino clinical handovers. Tell us your most hilarious encounters in the comment section below, and encourage other healthcare practitioners that they are definitely not alone in their suffering.
