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I have an ERshadow coming up and I am not sure what to expect any stories or advice would be greatly appreciated?
Anybody have any ER shadow stories?
- Thread starter prepremed18079
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The main advice I have is that if you see something that makes you feel dizzy, walk away and sit down. Don't just keep standing there and faint.
It will probably mostly be very minor injuries and people feeling nauseated, unless you're shadowing at a trauma center.
It will probably mostly be very minor injuries and people feeling nauseated, unless you're shadowing at a trauma center.
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The hospital I am shadowing at is a level one trauma center...
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I'm a senior Emergency Medicine resident at a inner city level one trauma center. To tell the truth it will depend on the day, the time of day, the weather and just blind luck what you see. If you're shadowing at a place like where I work (which it sound's like you probably are) walk into the trauma bays when something rolls in there or any other room you see a lot of commotion around. Stay out of the doctor's and nurse's ways, but those situations are usually where the cool stuff happens. We get pretty crazy days here with lots of big procedures, codes ect. But sometimes the opposite happens for example most Saturday nights we get at least two GSWs and bunch of other traumas. but for example I worked last Saturday night and it was dead, literally nothing that got my heart rate above 60. So no promises you will see something cool but hope for it.
There is some good advice in one of the above posts that I'll edit a little bit. There are some things you probably aren't used to seeing that go on in the ER: cardiac arrests, dead people, procedures that depending which one can be can be pretty bloody/gross. If you really feel like you need to pass out or feel funny, or whatever don't even try to walk out of the room. Just sit down on the floor and look away. The last thing any of us want is for you to turn yourself into an additional patient during a resuscitation of a critical patient . No one will think less of you for it, I've seen medical students, nursing students, nurse/physician shadowers, and one family medicine attending all pass out during these situations. It happens and most of us understand that.
There is some good advice in one of the above posts that I'll edit a little bit. There are some things you probably aren't used to seeing that go on in the ER: cardiac arrests, dead people, procedures that depending which one can be can be pretty bloody/gross. If you really feel like you need to pass out or feel funny, or whatever don't even try to walk out of the room. Just sit down on the floor and look away. The last thing any of us want is for you to turn yourself into an additional patient during a resuscitation of a critical patient . No one will think less of you for it, I've seen medical students, nursing students, nurse/physician shadowers, and one family medicine attending all pass out during these situations. It happens and most of us understand that.
