How I won the PCE Competition

28/8/13 Gala Night

Emcees: And now, moving on to the top 3 winners of the PCE Competition.

Me and my friends: *makan makan*

The third place goes to...

UNIVERSITI KEBANGSAAN MALAYSIA! (with the name of the participant)

Me to Syau: At least I lega la diorang dah announce number 3. Kalau number 3 pun I tak dapat, memang I takkan menang la.

The second place goes to...

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA! (with name of participant)

Me to Syau: Tu lah kakak 4th year yang I cakap terer tu.

Safi (a junior at the table): Mesti kak Sarah menang la.

Me: Takdenye la. Safi tengok ke?

Safi: Tengok, best sangat! 

Safi and other juniors: Mesti akak menang la.

Me: Tak lahh... (eat cakes)

And the winner of the PCE Competition goes to.....

INTERNATIONAL!

Semua orang tepuk tangan. Kek terlepas daripada garpu Diba. My friends yang lain terkejut terus bersorak. I terus bangun. I was really shocked.

ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA!

I terus jalan lalu red carpet pergi pentas. Jalan ayu-ayu dulu, then lari kejap, then jalan ayu balik. All the time you could see the looks of disbelief on my face. I kept on saying 'Oh my God, Oh my God'. cehhh.. 

I don't even hear them calling out my name because I was walking to the stage at that time LOL memalukan betul. But then, I was the only participant from IIUM for that competition ahaks!

On the way naik stage, I nampak Prof. Norzailina (if I'm not mistaken) tengah senyum kat I. I pun senyum. Naik tangga ke stage dengan ayunya. She held out her hands and I took it.

"Tahniah!" she said and handed me the trophy.

I pusing kanan. Ada photographer. I flashed my most winning+terkejut smile. Haha. Then I turun tangga dengan ayunya karang nanti tersadung malu hoii...

Everyone's eyes was on me. I jalan pergi tempat duduk. Along the way, I lalu meja my juniors. They all tepuk. I cakap dekat Nash dengan dramatiknya "Seriously tak sangka akan menang tahu tak!" and I jalan to my table. 1st and 2nd year juniors at the other two tables applauded. I said "Thank you!" and nodded. 

Then I pun duduk balik kat kerusi sambung makan Oreo Cheese Cakes. Ahaha.

So right now I'm going to tell you the story on how I won the PCE Competition.

First of all, what is PCE Competition?

PCE Competition stands for Patients' Counselling Education Competition. In this competition, you were  given a prescription of the patient's details, medications, history etc and you need to study it before you finally counsel the patients on the correct usage of those medications. 

Sounds easy? 

Not really! At least, not for me. I was forced to participate one day before the competition itself. Because me and my friends (5 of us) were the only 3rd year students there and the junior had some sort of a ridiculous notion that we are experienced in counselling the patients. I had completed my 30 days of attachment at the community pharmacy but I have never had a lengthy hands-on experience in counselling. But alhamdulillah, I have once watched the PCE competition last year during APPS Taiwan 2012 and had a rough idea on how counselling (and the competition) would look like. 

The next day, we had to pick a number. I got number 6 (the order of counselling) and received case number 3. It was quite an easy case. Mrs Alice, a 70 years old patient who is a regular customer at your pharmacy coming with a prescription. She has CCF (Congestive Cardiac Failure) and is prescribed with Digoxin, Lasix (Furosemide) tablets and also aha, Protazine tablets for nausea and vomiting. 

Before that, we were required to attend the Patient Counselling Workshop handled by Prof Azmi, a professor of Clinical Pharmacy at USM. I sat in the 2nd row (LOL) and listened attentively to what he was talking about, furiously scribbling on my notebook while Syau dozed off beside me, haha! 

So I had to do some research la that night. The problem was, I didn't bring anything! No laptop/broadband, not even a MIMS! So one very kind hearted, spunky (I like her!) USM girl, Suraya offered to lend me her laptop+internet. After a very long day (Pharmtastic Race around USM from 2-6 pm), Battle of University at night and practising the 'Joget Malaysia' until 1.30 am for the 'Impromptu Competition' the next day, I got back to my room at about 2 am and from then, I studied for the competition until 4 in the morning, and woke up at 5.45 am.

I made a script, and decided to rewrite it again, and again. Even on the way to the Community Outreach Programme (whereby I volunteered to do health screening-taking blood glucose measurement), I reread the script again and again, and added something else. After the COP, I redrafted the script and practised with my friend Hidayah on counselling (she became Mrs Alice). I stammered a lot and redrafted the script again. While we were on our way back to USM, I redid the script again. Okay, final! After solat Zuhur pun I practised with my roommate Fatin Hanani.

Then waktu petang, it was time for the PCE Competition. I got really nervous. After being quarantined with the other participants( there were 8-9 representatives from those different 9 universities who participated in this competition. IIUM, USM, UKM, UiTM, Taylor's, CUCMS, AIMST, AMU, UM) I went into the hall, half filled with audience. There was even a video-cameraman who set off to record the whole counselling event for each participant. At that time, that kakak from UiTM was counselling a patient. She was awesome! The participant before me said "Good la, she!" and I agreed whole-heartedly.

It was finally my turn soon after. With bismillahirrahmanirrahim, I walked to the stage and the patient came in. Mrs Alice was in the form of a Malay lady who is verrrryyy talkative. Before competition, makcik Alice said that she wanted to talk in Malay. 

Me: Apa khabar Mrs Alice?

Mrs Alice: Ni tuan doktor ke? Awat lain bebenor? 

Me: Eh Mrs Alice kan dah selalu datang pharmacy saya, tak kenal saya ke?

Mrs Alice: Mrs Alice tu nama glamour makcik. Malu la.

Me: Saja nak bagi makcik glamour. :P

Me: Makcik, anak makcik no 2 tu dah kahwin? (spontaneous betul!)

Mrs Alice: Belum, kamu nak jadi menantu makcik? (makcik pun ikut layan!) 

Me: Boleh jugak! (with a smug smile) 

Laughter erupted in the hall.

Towards the end, when the time's almost up:

Me: Makcik, ni saya nak tulis nota untuk anak makcik. Nanti dia boleh la tolong bagi makcik makan ubat.

Makcik: Kamu tulislah sekali kirim salam kamu kat dia

HAHAHAHA. 

There are many more dialogues la. And it was very hilarious, thanks to the 'Makcik'. Remember the script that I had rewritten and revised over and over again? Habis terbang semua skrip. Spontan je semua dialog. I think my strong point is that I was able to mingle with the makcik and educate her on the correct usage of drugs by using layman's terms/bahasa kampung. That's what people said la. I'd attribute the 90% of success to the makcik and of course, 100% to Allah s.w.t for giving me the makcik as my patient and for giving me the wits and strength to counsel her. By the way, the 'makcik' is a 3rd year Pharmacy student who is VERY TALENTED in acting! 

It was really unexpected. I was satisfied after the counselling session. I think that there was a low chance of me winning it, as it is not something that educational/informative. But then, I was surprised that the judges liked it. I remember not talking much, only 'layan-ing' the makcik, but I once remember my lecturer said that 'You have to listen to the patients and let the patients talk more than you do," so maybe that's the reason why I guess. And that you must make the patient feels comfortable with you. 

I think those are the aspects that the judges are looking for. Some may not be satisfied with me winning it, attributing it to pure luck but of course, we can't please everyone. And luck, or to be more appropriate, rezeki comes from Allah s.w.t, isn't it?

Initially, I was very nervous and scared, but I was quickly reminded of a very memorable quote that has now become my life mantra:

After the announcement, the 'makcik' went to my table to congratulate me. I said thanks to her.

Makcik: Nasib baik awak layan saya!

Me: Kenapa, yang lagi dua orang tu tak layan ke? (3 participants including myself had the same case/patient)

Makcik: Yang first tu tak layan. Yang nombor 3 tu okay la cuma dia salah bagi instruction.

Me: Oh, yang Q.D tu mesti dia confused dengan QID kan? 

QD= once daily

QID= four times daily.

Note: Digoxin and Lasix supposed to be given once daily, not four times daily. 

Makcik: Aah, kitorang dah bagitahu dia tapi dia mcm tak percaya

Me: Oh okay, thanks! (and we hugged each other)

With this, I'd like to first and foremost give thanks to Allah s.w.t for helping me all the way and for answering my prayers, the makcik for being a cooperative patient, complementing the 'drama queen' side of me haha, Tengku Nabilah Suraya who lent me her laptop, Hidayah for becoming my first patient (while practising), Fatin Hanani my roommate, Syau, Diba and the rest of IIUM students who came to NoGaps, committe members of NoGaps USM. awesome judges who appreciate a good sense of humour (hehe) and yes, everyone! You guys are the best! 

Oh, this is video about a PCE competition (not mine), in case you wanted to know how it really looks like.

THE END.