This is a rant.
Israel's health care system has been more or less "socialized medicine"
since the State was founded. Obviously, as with most things, there are
pluses and minuses. One of the minuses that has frustrated me for a long
time (but thankfully, I think things are improving), is the attitude
among people toward their HCPs of "Here I am - cure me!" Or more
specifically in a birthing/lactating mother "Here's my body/baby, I'm not
responsible - YOU ARE!" No one feels responsible for their bodies, but
they have "rights" that the HCPs break their hearts ove.
I had a talk with a med student once who was furious at a certain patient
who was at the brink of death with an MI, the team stayed up all night
rescuing him, he recovered. Was back with another MI a few months later,
still a heavy smoker. Wow, was she mad.
Also had a talk with a midwife friend. Back 20 years ago, when I was
having babies, the Bedouin women would often deliver in the prep room,
having waited until the last second to come to the hospital (so they can
collect National Insurance money for the baby - long story). Nowadays,
according to this midwife, the Bedouin show up 1 cm dilated and demand an
epidural NOW.
Moms also think it is the JOB of the postpartum nurses to take care of
their babies, an attitude fostered here, too, IMO, by the nurses who
think of the babies as theirs.
AAARRRGGHHH. Thanks for listening.
Judy Knopf in Beer Sheva, Israel