A ward boy in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, recently conducted a heart test on a patient after watching a tutorial on YouTube, as no doctors or medical staff were present due to the Diwali holiday. This unusual incident occurred at the Paota Hospital on October 31, when a patient arrived seeking medical attention.
Footage of the incident reveals the ward boy performing the electrocardiogram (ECG) test despite protests from those accompanying the patient. “You do not know about the ECG test; it is an important test. You may kill the patient,” a bystander can be heard saying, warning the ward boy of the risks involved. Undeterred, he admitted his lack of experience, stating, “I have not done the ECG test, and I am not a technician. But the hospital staff is absent due to Diwali.”
Following the video’s circulation on social media, the chief of Jodhpur Medical College, BS Jodha, announced an investigation into the incident. He assured that action would be taken against the ward boy, emphasizing that while the incorrect placement of ECG points might not be life-threatening, it could lead to inaccurate results. “The test is not life-threatening. The incorrect ECG point placement does not pose any danger to the patient,” he clarified. This incident highlights critical concerns regarding patient safety and the adequacy of medical staffing during holidays.
