Bad interns

[lumanase]

It's been two weeks and i'm stuck with a bunch of terrible co-interns. It's bad for me because i'm on a critical care rotation and the four of us share all the patients in the unit. They still can not present cases effectively, even though the R3's are coming in early every morning to go over the cases with them. One ask me where to find Echo results, cath results, CXR results, etc on a daily basis. I've gotten used to that but wtf i've never used this hospital system before and we all started out together. One writes H&P's that can not be trusted, she would get diagnosis mixed up with other patients. And the last one just seems oblivious to how bad she's working.

Presentations were so bad today that the attending cursed. The sign out sheets this morning mistaken positive troponins as 0.00x2. The fellow's going home demoralized after trying to work us for two weeks now. The mild mannered R3 is upset enough to show it, the other R3 is asking me to come in a hour early so we could cover our own arses. There doesn't seem to be anything i can do to help them and it's difficult to say anything to them since we're suppose to be on even level. What can i do?

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[bulldog]

It's been two weeks and i'm stuck with a bunch of terrible co-interns. It's bad for me because i'm on a critical care rotation and the four of us share all the patients in the unit. They still can not present cases effectively, even though the R3's are coming in early every morning to go over the cases with them. One ask me where to find Echo results, cath results, CXR results, etc on a daily basis. I've gotten used to that but wtf i've never used this hospital system before and we all started out together. One writes H&P's that can not be trusted, she would get diagnosis mixed up with other patients. And the last one just seems oblivious to how bad she's working.

Presentations were so bad today that the attending cursed. The sign out sheets this morning mistaken positive troponins as 0.00x2. The fellow's going home demoralized after trying to work us for two weeks now. The mild mannered R3 is upset enough to show it, the other R3 is asking me to come in a hour early so we could cover our own arses. There doesn't seem to be anything i can do to help them and it's difficult to say anything to them since we're suppose to be on even level. What can i do?

ask the med students to come in 3 hrs early. ;-) j/k

that sucks u're going through that. maybe these interns hadn't taken micu rotation as 4th years. on the bright side, u're clearly shining and i think that the rest of the team knows it. brownie points for u. probalby just 2 more wks....

 

[APACHE3]

Well, starting in MICU has to heavy on any intern. As for me, I'm in the ED that uses a different computer program than the wards and next month, I'll start wards and have to learn another computer sysytem to access pt info. (And in cLinic I use ANOTHER program, and thats not including the VA's system when I hit there in a couple of months, so even in orientation, I had 4 different short course to try and learn how to get pt info. I'm not making excuses, but I'm sure my first week on the wards will be rough since I will have to basically start from scratch relearning how to navigate the sysytem, learn how to dictate, etc, which the other interns have already started..

 

[kassie]

I also started with MICU and we all had our troubles - some much more than others. The seniors always have a hard time in the beginning while we're trying to figure out which way is up. I had an advantage having worked in the hospital before so it was a little easier transition for me.

I'm sure you have your faults as well, no one is perfect. The point is to adust and improve. Just try to be patient and help your cointerns - it'll get better for everyone faster that way. I get annoyed with and don't trust any intern that thinks they are a good intern in July. None of us know squat yet. It's just a fact.

In MICU, I came in the same time as everyone else, got my work done, and then helped everyone else with whatever I could. It helped them a lot and when it came time when I was swamped/needed help, they happily returned the favor. You're part of a team, don't forget. It might be an uneven trade now, but it probably won't be later.

Try and be patient, it sucks for all of us!

No sentinel events or death dictations for me yet

 

[bulgethetwine]

It's been two weeks and i'm stuck with a bunch of terrible co-interns. It's bad for me because i'm on a critical care rotation and the four of us share all the patients in the unit. They still can not present cases effectively, even though the R3's are coming in early every morning to go over the cases with them. One ask me where to find Echo results, cath results, CXR results, etc on a daily basis. I've gotten used to that but wtf i've never used this hospital system before and we all started out together. One writes H&P's that can not be trusted, she would get diagnosis mixed up with other patients. And the last one just seems oblivious to how bad she's working.

Presentations were so bad today that the attending cursed. The sign out sheets this morning mistaken positive troponins as 0.00x2. The fellow's going home demoralized after trying to work us for two weeks now. The mild mannered R3 is upset enough to show it, the other R3 is asking me to come in a hour early so we could cover our own arses. There doesn't seem to be anything i can do to help them and it's difficult to say anything to them since we're suppose to be on even level. What can i do?

You, as an intern, CAN'T do anything (nor should you).

You just need to do the best you can with your assigned patients. It is the responsibility of the residents above you to work with the others to improve. If they've been there for two weeks and there is a certain level of proficiency that they aren't achieving, that is a problem with your superiors -- after all, if it was one "bad apple" I would be inclined to agree with you that you have ONE terrible co-intern. But several supposed bad apples suggests a problem with the guidance.

Lead by example. An intern with two weeks experience probably doesn't have enough experience to guide yet anyway (unless maybe you did a year previously in another program) nor is it likely to be received without feeling like you are condescedning and patronizing.

Keep your head up... the critical care environment is tough to start in, no doubt about it.

 

[Ice-1]

It's been two weeks and i'm stuck with a bunch of terrible co-interns. It's bad for me because i'm on a critical care rotation and the four of us share all the patients in the unit. They still can not present cases effectively, even though the R3's are coming in early every morning to go over the cases with them. One ask me where to find Echo results, cath results, CXR results, etc on a daily basis. I've gotten used to that but wtf i've never used this hospital system before and we all started out together. One writes H&P's that can not be trusted, she would get diagnosis mixed up with other patients. And the last one just seems oblivious to how bad she's working.

Presentations were so bad today that the attending cursed. The sign out sheets this morning mistaken positive troponins as 0.00x2. The fellow's going home demoralized after trying to work us for two weeks now. The mild mannered R3 is upset enough to show it, the other R3 is asking me to come in a hour early so we could cover our own arses. There doesn't seem to be anything i can do to help them and it's difficult to say anything to them since we're suppose to be on even level. What can i do?

How about being a little more compassionate toward your coworkers! You are going to work with them and others for at least a year and if word gets around that you already think that you are better than them, you aren't going to get their help later on when you need it. Everyone progresses at a different rate. It all evens out in the end, you may be a superstar this month on rotation but next month you may be the goat. It happens to us all.

 

[lumanase]

How about being a little more compassionate toward your coworkers! You are going to work with them and others for at least a year and if word gets around that you already think that you are better than them, you aren't going to get their help later on when you need it. Everyone progresses at a different rate. It all evens out in the end, you may be a superstar this month on rotation but next month you may be the goat. It happens to us all.

you mistaken the intent of my post, it's not about me being a superstar or wanting to shine or think i'm better. i merely wanted to ask for suggestions on what i can do. I'm already coming in a hour ahead of what the interns did back in June and yet everything goes down hill after that. The presentations are sloppy which makes round go late into the afternoon which ties me up into the evening, i sign out with the whole team understanding the plan and yet everything is a mess when i come back the next shift. In fact it doesn't matter how much i shine because in the end i'll be known as part of the group of inadequate interns in July. I take offense to you saying i should be more compassionate. I have been patient but being compassionate does not mean i should just sit by and let things continue. Right now it's like watching them free fall and there's nothing i can do about it.

 

[bulgethetwine]

you mistaken the intent of my post, it's not about me being a superstar or wanting to shine or think i'm better. i merely wanted to ask for suggestions on what i can do. I'm already coming in a hour ahead of what the interns did back in June and yet everything goes down hill after that. The presentations are sloppy which makes round go late into the afternoon which ties me up into the evening, i sign out with the whole team understanding the plan and yet everything is a mess when i come back the next shift. In fact it doesn't matter how much i shine because in the end i'll be known as part of the group of inadequate interns in July. I take offense to you saying i should be more compassionate. I have been patient but being compassionate does not mean i should just sit by and let things continue. Right now it's like watching them free fall and there's nothing i can do about it.

Oh man, you just don't get it, do you? That's several posts and you've still insisted on taking the Olive Branch and hitting us back with it.

I knew a gunner EXACTLY like you during the first month of residency. I also remember during third month of residency when the whispers started to go around about how difficult she was to work with, how obsessive compulsive she was about every one else's work, and finally how condescending she was.

Take our advice or leave it, but as I read your posts and descriptions of events, I cringe in wondering what your colleagues are thinking of you right now...

Good luck. I'm done with this thread.

 

[Shah_Patel_PT]

It's been two weeks and i'm stuck with a bunch of terrible co-interns. It's bad for me because i'm on a critical care rotation and the four of us share all the patients in the unit. They still can not present cases effectively, even though the R3's are coming in early every morning to go over the cases with them. One ask me where to find Echo results, cath results, CXR results, etc on a daily basis. I've gotten used to that but wtf i've never used this hospital system before and we all started out together. One writes H&P's that can not be trusted, she would get diagnosis mixed up with other patients. And the last one just seems oblivious to how bad she's working.

Presentations were so bad today that the attending cursed. The sign out sheets this morning mistaken positive troponins as 0.00x2. The fellow's going home demoralized after trying to work us for two weeks now. The mild mannered R3 is upset enough to show it, the other R3 is asking me to come in a hour early so we could cover our own arses. There doesn't seem to be anything i can do to help them and it's difficult to say anything to them since we're suppose to be on even level. What can i do?

Welcome to the world of medicine! You need to diffuse the situation and stress the positives.. You all need to work together as a team...

ITS NOT ALL ABOUT YOU!!! If you are the GENIOUS who figured out how to get results and labs...YOU NEED TO TEACH THE DAMN STUFF AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL YOUR COWORKERS GET IT!!!

Expect similar situations all throughout your career!

 

[Renovar]

Welcome to the world of medicine! You need to diffuse the sitution and stress the positives.. You all need to work together as a team...

ITS NOT ALL ABOUT YOU!!! If you are the GENIOUS who figured out how to get results and labs...YOU NEED TO TEACH THE DAMN STUFF AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL YOUR COWORKERS GET IT!!!

Expect similar situations all throughout your career!

so true...

just wait til next july when YOU are the upper level and have to teach those "idiotic" interns "who doesnt seem to ever get it" how to do everything again... you have a head start to practice that now.

 

[Reaganite]

you mistaken the intent of my post, it's not about me being a superstar or wanting to shine or think i'm better. i merely wanted to ask for suggestions on what i can do. I'm already coming in a hour ahead of what the interns did back in June and yet everything goes down hill after that. The presentations are sloppy which makes round go late into the afternoon which ties me up into the evening, i sign out with the whole team understanding the plan and yet everything is a mess when i come back the next shift. In fact it doesn't matter how much i shine because in the end i'll be known as part of the group of inadequate interns in July. I take offense to you saying i should be more compassionate. I have been patient but being compassionate does not mean i should just sit by and let things continue. Right now it's like watching them free fall and there's nothing i can do about it.

Although I think you might be exaggerating your own abilities a little, I have to agree with you here. If I learned anything from 3rd year of medical school, it was that you are evaluated based on your team rather than your individual performance. Are you a prelim or categorical? I can definitely understand your concern if you are a categorical.