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| From The Archives: "To My Favorite Residents": A Perspective on Life as an Operating Room Nurse |
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by UnsinkableMB - December 27, 2011
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Provided by Blood, Guts, and Coffee
LTC has surgical and anesthesia residents rotating through our department. Like anyone else on staff, there are good ones and some that are... Well, let's just say that there is room for improvement. They were accepted into the program because of their medical knowledge and potential. However, there is more to being a good surgeon than just knowing what to do with instrumentation.
To My Favorite Residents
from the archives of "Livin' Large"
How do I like thee? Let me count the ways...
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At the beginning of your rotation you actually introduce yourself to the nurses and techs instead of, like a gunslinger, busting into a saloon as the "new sheriff in town."
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You ask kindly if I wouldn't mind answering your pager because you're on call. And you apologize profusely since it is my least favorite thing to do when I'm circulating.
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You don't stand there just watching while all 5 feet of me is struggles to hold a 300 lb. patient steady during a spinal. Not only do you help, but you refrain from short jokes - well, at least most of the time.
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You help me get the cart out of the room after transferring a patient to the OR table so that I can quickly put the safety strap on, help the anesthesiologist with the monitors, and provide comfort to the patient.
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When you're on top of completing the H&P (history and physical), initialing the surgical site, and ordering appropriate medication prior to me picking up the patient from holding, you help me keep things moving along.
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I'm impressed when you take the time to answer a patient's and his/her family's questions.
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You take patient care seriously by doing a thorough job closing the surgical site and putting on the dressings without getting blood all over them.
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Instead of answering your pages or checking your e-mail, when it comes time to transfer a patient from OR table to cart, you're ready to go.
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You don't purposely drop stuff on the floor (unless you really have to) 'cause you know someone else has to pick it up and I'm not your mother.
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Ultimately, you understand and appreciate that it takes teamwork to give good patient care in surgery.
Because of this...
....I don't mind answering your pager even when it goes off 10 times during a procedure.
....I will share my lunch with you when you haven't had a break and there's no food left in the doctor's lounge.
....I will provide positive feedback with the surgeons you work with.
....I will remember your glove sizes and pull them so that you don't have to worry about doing that for every case.
....I will save certain items that you need for learning/teaching purposes (within reason, of course).
....I will show you the respect that you give me.
Thanks to all my favorite surgical residents... I know you'll do great when you're finally on your own!
UnsinkableMB is an Operating Room Nurse at a Little Trauma Center, a Level I trauma center, in Big City, USA, sharing some insight into the world of surgery. Join her on her adventure as a rookie assistant manager in the wonderful world of surgical nursing at Blood, Guts, and Coffee.
The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
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