This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of pregnancy termination, suicidal ideation and self-harm, and mental illness.

Kay recounts how a former patient sued him for medical negligence. The patient’s bladder had been injured during a cesarean, but Kay had recognized his mistake and called a urologist to repair it. The injury led to a slightly extended stay in hospital for the patient but no long-term damage. As a result of the patient’s legal action, Kay spent hours writing reports and meeting with the hospital’s lawyers. His anxiety and sleeplessness affected his relationship with H. Eventually, the hospital settled out of court.

The experience of being sued left Kay despondent. Terrified of it happening again, he resolved to develop a warmer bedside manner. Kay explains that doctors were taught to maximize patient satisfaction by asking them open-ended questions and giving them a range of treatment options. However, his own approach had been more “straight to the point” (163), eschewing small talk, offering patients an expert opinion, and recommending a management plan. For two days, Kay experimented with smiling and offering cheery greetings until a patient’s husband asks if he is “taking the piss” (167).

Friday, 6 February 2009 - Friday, 3 April 2009