handedness and clinical technique

[Horseradish99]

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Hey all--

I'm starting school in less than a week and there's a question that's been burning on my mind recently.

I'm left-handed, and I've always sorta wondered if that would pose a problem or be an issue at all when it comes to performing any kind of routine clinical techniques.

When you are learning surgery, for instance, are teaching docs aware or even patient with lefties, or is it expected that we all learn and do it the right-handed way.

I know when I worked at a hospital as a nurse aide, a lot of the equipment was set up to suit a righty, which made it difficult for me sometimes to use.

Any other lefties deal with this, or should I not worry at all?

thanks,

Scott

 

[SM-UCLA tech]

i was a surgical tech for years and i'm left-handed. honestly i've never really had any problems.

in fact, being left-handed will be an ADVANTAGE when you are learning in surgery. since most surgeon's are right handed, they will be on the patients' right side when operating. as the student you will be on the left side of the patient. since the left side of the patient is the side you should be on as a left-handed person, it will be more comfortable, and everything you do will be more ergonomic. Score 1 for us leftys!

 

[Weil-Felix]

I have to disagree about it being easier for a left handed person during a surgery rotation. I am left handed, and had a few issues during my surgery months. During orientation, one of the surgery residents felt the need to say to one of my left handed classmates as she was practicing suturing on one of the pig's feet "Oh, you're left handed? Humph. So I guess you will be going into Psychiatry, huh?" I thought this was a pretty idiotic and jerky thing to say. Any time I attempted to do anything left handed (i.e. suture, staple), there were certain surgeons that would yank the instrument out of my hand and tell me that I had to do it right handed. Which of course, for me, was impossible. I only got to suture once during my surgery rotation as a result. I finally got to suture more regularly during my FP rotation, when I worked with a laid back guy who didn't care which hand I used.

My surgery rotation was the only rotation where being left handed was a problem.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Depends on the attending. We have several lefties here in our program and while some of them have been given a hard time, and advised to also learn to operate with their right hand, no one has been made to switch as far as I know.

You will find some difficulties with instruments and placement, but if you've survived this long in a right hand world, you'll do fine.

 

[Akamushi]

i suggest learning to use both hands...it's what i've done...it feels awkard at first, but it's a nice skill to have...
i still favor my left hand when sewing though...

when you get into practice you can request left-handed instruments

 

[LukeWhite]

Apparently some VA operating rooms were designed such that they can only be used by left-handed surgeons operating with right-handed anesthesiologists! Strange but true.

I wouldn't recommend the link, since it's weird and fully of tiny irrelevant text, but since it's odd enough to need verification:

http://www.nap.edu/books/0309057469/html/144.html

Everyone has a niche!

 

[UCSBMed1]

I'm left-handed, and find it appalling that they would force me to use my right-hand.

They would NEVER force a right-handed person to use their weaker hand, so why should we? That is definately a form of discrimination, and I will be sure to say something to my attending (well probably not😛 ) if that issue comes up.

 

[SM-UCLA tech]

i do think that as a surgeon, one should have good dexterity with both hands. But as far as being able to suture with both hands is a little ridiculous. I have NEVER seen a right-handed surgeon, resident, or med student suture with their left hand. I can hardly ever imagine the need to be able to suture with both hands. If the need did arise to suture from a different angle that required switching hands, then the assistant on the other side of the table would probably do it. Or if the need absolutely required attack from a different angle because of a delicate nature, then I can almost guarantee that a surgeon would walk around the table and do it from the other side before attempting to switch and use their less dominate hand.

I am left-handed, and I am pretty sure that I will want to go into a surgical specialty. I also have no doubt at all that being left-handed will keep me from doing what I want. It is a joke to think otherwise.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Yeah...I've never heard of anyone being asked to or made to suture with their left hand. Essentially I've seen residents be asked to be good at typing knots with their non-dom hand and to be able to handle basic instruments, etc. with the same because sometimes its easier given your position, but not to suture...as noted above, most would simply cross to the other side of the table rather than switch hands.