Monday, May 07, 2007
Wow, I actually am improving! Even had leisure time today to meet Yx after lunch, haha!
Did a call again tonight. Some exciting stuff.
1. FON patient. 'nuff said. I regret that I had to leave it to a colleague to settle though.
2. Butterflies rule. Period. This is the umpteenth time a patient has looked up in surprise after I'm done taking urgent bloods, exclaimed that it's the most painless blood-taking ever, and asked what I used. Admin staff - take a freaking big hint please. You guys are downright faggotty if you're going to compromise on patient comfort just for a few cents more in cost.
3. Worst nightmare come true - in my case, it was kind of enjoyable. I was set to leave at 11pm. At 11pm
SHARP - I was ready to pick up my bag, mind - colleague runs in for help re: collapse.
So, I overstayed. No OT pay, and no post-call tomorrow either. Felt kinda good about myself after that, the both of us handled it pretty well until more help came. Maybe a career in the ER is the one for me after all.
Bottom line: calls are great if:
1. You get great colleagues.
2. You get great seniors colleagues.
3. You get great nurses.
4. You drown yourself in taurine, vitamin B and caffeine.
Tonight, all 4 created alchemy.
* * * *
On a more sobre note, quite a lot of thoughts have been flitting through my head these days. Most of them never get the chance to be developed fully, being interrupted every so often by horrid pages or this-and-thats.
The learning curve is steep. Very steep. In a mere few days, we have earned the team's approval instead of seeing black faces in the morning, and getting private talks from seniors. To top things off, the specialty I'm in now was almost never covered in school over the last 5 years at all. We were complete virgins at the start.
The growth curve was scary too. We've all grown, I think. I know I did. It's not just because we're addressed differently now - it's the attached responsibility, and knowing that everyone else (except for the seniors, who know that we're complete idiots) has this strange illusion that the moment we get through an exam, we are complete know-alls. And the nurses too. They know full well that we're mere fledglings, that they probably know more practical stuff than we do, but they still ask us for our opinion. That scares me. It seriously does.
Tying all these up, you're just expected to be what you never thought you could be. Someone lying on that bed needs help. The nurses helpfully tell you that they have a certain discomfort/problem. You sort of know what to do, but you could never be dead-sure. And these are way too trivial to be brought up to seniors, as you know you'd get told off. They need to be done, now. The decision needs to be made, now. You pen it down, and if something strange happens to that someone you're supposed to be helping, you're responsible.
* * * *
Received a most surprising birthday gift from my neighbour today, wow! Just way thrilled. OK, maybe because I usually don't get celebrations - other than a cake - and certainly no gifts. Definitely not a big deal all, but when I do get anything, they are always surprising and pleasant. Rounded tonight off nicely.
Definitely need to force myself to sleep (adrenaline from the collapse case still coursing through me - pupils must be pinpoint now). Dance practice tomorrow, yay!!!
Labels: rants, work
Wenky
11:56 PM
0 comments
Post a Comment
