Thursday, July 9, 2009

More orientation...

While all the other students got to start working with patients, all of the students on surgery had an additional two days of orientation and lecture. These days have felt even longer than the first two days of orientation. We have had all kinds of lectures: Sepsis, Suturing, Postoperative care, Urology, Breast cancers, Skin cancers, Thyroid cancers and others. We also did some fun things throughout the two days: We were given a complete tour of the hospital, practiced scrubbing in and gowning up, we were able to practice suturing on pig's feet, and they had a number of different procedures for us to practice. Some of the required procedures I must experience before successfully completing this rotation are starting IVs, placing NG tubes, and Foley catheters. They also showed us how to place a chest tube (something we won't have to do yet). I'm sure Mom will just laugh when I say how daunting these procedures are going to be! I have never even given someone a shot and I have to start an IV?? Not to mention thoroughly cleansing someone's nether region to shove a tube up his or her urethra!! I wish I could come to work with you for one day Mom and just do procedures with you assisting me.

The hospital attached to my school doesn't have pediatric patients. I selected pediatric surgery for my first rotation so I will be at St. Vincent's which is a hospital downtown. I start tomorrow at 6 AM!! I have mixed feelings. I am super excited but exceptionally nervous. It doesn't help that I've never been to this hospital, don't know where to park, and will have to wander the halls looking for some lady named
Karen who will teach me the scrub in procedure for their hospital. And I don't know how I feel about working with surgeons. During one of our lectures today one of the surgeons told us we went into medicine only for the money or we would have chosen another way to "help" people. He went as far to say that if any of us choose family medicine or pediatrics we might as well learn how to change the oil in our cars so we won't have to pay someone to do it. The stereotype of the arrogant surgeon has already reared its head. Tomorrow I find out who I'll be with for the next 4 weeks and I can only hope he or she isn't as bad as the one who taught that lecture.

I promised myself this blog wouldn't be super negative - I don't mean to complain constantly. I did come home to a wonderful dinner and some amazing kids. My boys are growing up too fast!! Ike is huge - I want that little tike who could curl up on my chest. I was in charge of putting him to bed and Leisy took care of Zeb. When I went to put Ike in his crib the bedroom door wouldn't open!! Zeb had gotten out of bed to play with his toys and totally crashed next to the door. I had to wait for it to get dark (or he wouldn't have stayed asleep) before I roused the boy to get him back in his bed. Silly kid.

5 comments:

  1. That is a crazy day! You'll probably do IV's, NG's and foley's rarely since it's done by the nurses. (at least in a hospital setting). It's good to know how to do it though. Wish I would have taught you before. If you want - I'll let you start an IV on me when you're here in August. No way in **** will you ever practice the other things on me. Hope you get some chances to do chest tubes - real cool to save someone's life after a tension pneumo.

    Every DR. thinks his specialty is most important. Who knows - maybe you'll love surgery. In any case I bet you'll be really good at it. Good luck and ENJOY! It will be nice to learn and experience when you're not RESPONSIBLE.

    So glad you get to come home to a loving wife and two darling kids.

    ReplyDelete
  2. you should have done my catheter when I had Ike. really. You would have been better than that poor terrified nursing student! You could have done my IV as well. maybe we should have another kid so you can get practice.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What sounds like a great idea Leisy you guys should have another kids soon. You got two great ones might as well make it 3! Kent- maybe I will let you start an IV on me. Maybe- will see how I feel when you come out. I just wont watch- that's when I get sick.

    ReplyDelete
  4. HECK ... I've got to PEDIATRIC patients for ya that'll are quite professional IV recipients. Good luck getting one in them, though. haha!

    And I second the vote for another Miller baby ASAP!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Of course, I meant "two" not "to". ;)

    ReplyDelete