A day in the ER

[DrWorkNeverDone]

---

Members don't see this ad.

So back in the day, I use to write about my day in the ER, and now I would like to continue it 🙂 I volunteer Fridays at UCDMC ER and I abs. love it. Been doing it for close to a year now and I recommend anyone wanting to know more about medicine to do it 🙂.

Last night, I got to spend most of my evening following one patient through a series of things. It was an auto vs. ped. and the patient had mult. scull fractures. I usually only get to see what happens in the trauma room before I am pulled to do some beds or something but the ER tech let me go with the patient to the CT. A whole bunch of docs were in there trying to figure out what to do next and waiting for the scans. Results: multiple hemorages, shifting the midline of the brain, and pushing the brainstem down towards the spinal cord...at least that is what my doc friend explained to me when we were looking at it 🙂. Then I got to help set up the blood for the patient back in the trauma room. Got to listen to the doc telling family members how it was nonoperat. and asking if the patient would be okay with donating. THAT was really emotional! I usually never get to be there for those parts and I felt so, i dont know priv. to be a part of it. The doc though seemed very, i dont know, , about the whole thing. Another doc though, seemed very compassionate about it. REMEMBER THIS AS DOCS! 🙂 Also, there was a doc who was UCD alumni and allowed me to watch her put an A-line in. I also got to talk to the family about what was going to happen and where they needed to be. it was a great experience, I always thought that donating was just a thing of , okay we need it lets get it, its done, man there are so many different steps that have to be done and watched....made me appreciate being a donar even more!

 

[beanbean]

thanks for the post...although a tragic accident at least it was a learning experience for you.

I think your post and previous ones demonstrate that often what you get out of volunteering is often proportional to what you give. After putting in the hours over the last year, you have gotten to know the staff and they know you. Had you just walked in off the street as a premed "volunteer" who expects to be taught medicine you would not have been invited into the care of this patient. Its obvious you appreciate the ED for what it is and are there to help others, not pad your application. Good for you! To many people on this site whine about how awful it is to volunteer and "gasp" perform menial tasks for patients. Its really refreshing to read about someone who is really inspired to volunteer to help others and recognizes that value of learning by observing.

 

[DrWorkNeverDone]

😳 your too nice 🙂 really though I wish I could do more volunteering but between work and all it just doesn't work out therefore i put a lot of time into the ER. It is true, there are somethings that I just say, man why me 🙂 like wiping butts and such 🙂 but then I get to do cool things like put pressure on a wound and such cause they know I can help. Not many volunteers are there longer than the quarter internship so being there a while does help 🙂 Thanks for the pats on the back...man makes me feel good

thanks for the post...although a tragic accident at least it was a learning experience for you.

I think your post and previous ones demonstrate that often what you get out of volunteering is often proportional to what you give. After putting in the hours over the last year, you have gotten to know the staff and they know you. Had you just walked in off the street as a premed "volunteer" who expects to be taught medicine you would not have been invited into the care of this patient. Its obvious you appreciate the ED for what it is and are there to help others, not pad your application. Good for you! To many people on this site whine about how awful it is to volunteer and "gasp" perform menial tasks for patients. Its really refreshing to read about someone who is really inspired to volunteer to help others and recognizes that value of learning by observing.

 

[Benign_foodtube]

Woohoo! You rock! I have been workin in an ER and Pediatric ER for the past 3 years, and I started keepin a blog on it on livejournal a couple of months ago. Keep it comin, girl, I love hearin these stories. And I concur. The ER is the place to work is you wanna witness a bunch of emergency/trauma medicine up close and personal. Kudos to you for yer diligence and guts.

 

[Archimedes]

I guess it depends on the hospital you are at, right? The hospital near our university is very particular about the role that student volunteer's play in the ER. Patient interaction such as dealing with wounds, etc is totally off-limits here.

😕

I guess maybe a not-so busy hospital is better in this respect?

 

[Siggy]

I guess it depends on the hospital you are at, right? The hospital near our university is very particular about the role that student volunteer's play in the ER. Patient interaction such as dealing with wounds, etc is totally off-limits here.

😕

I guess maybe a not-so busy hospital is better in this respect?

At Hoag, it seems that you can do what ever the techs allow you to do, with in reason. We are not allowed to haddle narcs (duh statement, but that one is actually spelled out) and we are told that we can not do anything that requires a license (i.e. EMT-B). We are also told that we can't use the BVM for the absurd reason that the person who is at the head is in charge (i.e. so the nurseing student [which trumps volunteers of course] that was bagging a code was incharge?), but after doing it on rescue annie I know the real reason (bagging is actually harder then it looks if you haven't done it yet).

Now for me (EMT-1 student right now) that makes me question some of the things that I do. Am I allowed to start a patient on O2 if the Sp02 is below 92 with a nurses order (I always confirm things like that before I do it)? I am useing a skill I learned in EMT class (types of maskes and LPM settings) that most of the volunteers don't know!

The crazeist thing I have been asked to do was pressure wrap a lacerated knee before we sent him to his room to get ready for surgery (cut the tendon and all). Before I could get confirmation (I couldn't believe it) another tech did it anyways.

 

[fpr85]

I just checked out livejournal.com and it seems to be a pretty cool site. If you don't mind, what's your username on the site? I'd be interested in reading about your experiences.

Woohoo! You rock! I have been workin in an ER and Pediatric ER for the past 3 years, and I started keepin a blog on it on livejournal a couple of months ago. Keep it comin, girl, I love hearin these stories. And I concur. The ER is the place to work is you wanna witness a bunch of emergency/trauma medicine up close and personal. Kudos to you for yer diligence and guts.

 

[DrWorkNeverDone]

I guess it depends on the hospital you are at, right? The hospital near our university is very particular about the role that student volunteer's play in the ER. Patient interaction such as dealing with wounds, etc is totally off-limits here.

😕

I guess maybe a not-so busy hospital is better in this respect?

Umm, UCDMC, as far as I know is not really slow? It is a county hospital and we often have to go on diversion. I think what matters is how much you test the waters....I have done things and got the 👎 about it, but I just say sorry and do something really nice for that nurse 🙂 I know which docs will let me go a little farther and which ones wont...I also know which nurses are the same way...For example, this one nurse doesnt mind me pumping liquids cause its really simple and cant mess up, but another nurse says that*its practiicing medicine* so like I said, you just have to know when to cross that line and when not to 🙂 IT is all about what you put into it!