How long are rounds usually? Opportunities to sit? (Concerned about physical limitations.)

[RespectTheChemistry]

I have a question about rotations, especially IM.

I volunteer in child life at a large freestanding children's hospital. I am on multiple floors now. I think I need to quit because it's so much walking without opportunities to socially acceptably sit. I have a bad hip, which seems to be the issue.

I can last about 3-4 hours before I start walking too slow because of pain. I can tough that out, but the problem is that I can't sleep that night because it still hurts a lot even after Tylenol. Then, I'm falling asleep in school or while driving which is worse.

Do IM rounds that require standing outside patient rooms last equal to or less than 4 hours? Is it impolite to sit on the "porch" (chairs on the computers outside the room - I don't know if you call it something different)? I can last longer (~5 hours) if I can sit occasionally. I certainly don't want to do anything to make myself look bad when being subjectively graded.

It might not be a problem because I don't remember this happening when I was only on one unit and wasn't having to walk to the inconvenient staff elevator and all the way to the big toy storage room on another floor, but that was 2019 and not necessarily a fair comparison.

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[esob]

No quoting because I am going to trim this later to make it less identifying.

I have a question about rotations, especially IM.

I volunteer in child life at a large freestanding children's hospital. I am on multiple floors now. I think I need to quit because it's so much walking without opportunities to socially acceptably sit. I have a bad hip, which seems to be the issue.

I can last about 3-4 hours before I start walking too slow because of pain. I can tough that out, but the problem is that I can't sleep that night because it still hurts a lot even after Tylenol. Then, I'm falling asleep in school or while driving which is worse.

Do IM rounds last equal to or less than 4 hours? I am worried about that rotation. Is it impolite to sit on the "porch" (chairs on the computers outside the room - I don't know if you call it something different). I can last longer (~5 hours) if I can sit occasionally. I certainly don't want to do anything to make myself look bad when being subjectively graded.

It might not be a problem because I don't remember this happening when I was only on one unit and wasn't having to walk to the elevator and all the way to the big toy storage room on another floor, but that was 2019 and not necessarily a fair comparison.

I've never had IM rounds last more than a couple hrs, though you can round a couple of times per day. However, the issue you may have is that you will probably need accommodations for other clinical rotations. On surgery and OB, I would rack up 12 miles on my Apple watch, and, it wasn't uncommon to be on my feet for 10-12 per shift.

 

[RespectTheChemistry]

I've never had IM rounds last more than a couple hrs, though you can round a couple of times per day. However, the issue you may have is that you will probably need accommodations for other clinical rotations. On surgery and OB, I would rack up 12 miles on my Apple watch, and, it wasn't uncommon to be on my feet for 10-12 per shift.

Thank you for the very helpful response. It's specifically walking rather than standing that's an issue, which I would think would be helpful in the OR if they ask me to stand and retract something but I don't know.

 

[gyngyn]

Thank you for the very helpful response. It's specifically walking rather than standing that's an issue, which I would think would be helpful in the OR if they ask me to stand and retract something but I don't know.

Your school will give you the opportunity to apply for accommodations.

 

[RespectTheChemistry]

Your school will give you the opportunity to apply for accommodations.

Thank you! Are occasional sitting/Tylenol breaks a reasonable accommodation?

 

[xffan624]

I have a question about rotations, especially IM.

I volunteer in child life at a large freestanding children's hospital. I am on multiple floors now. I think I need to quit because it's so much walking without opportunities to socially acceptably sit. I have a bad hip, which seems to be the issue.

I can last about 3-4 hours before I start walking too slow because of pain. I can tough that out, but the problem is that I can't sleep that night because it still hurts a lot even after Tylenol. Then, I'm falling asleep in school or while driving which is worse.

Do IM rounds that require standing outside patient rooms last equal to or less than 4 hours? Is it impolite to sit on the "porch" (chairs on the computers outside the room - I don't know if you call it something different). I can last longer (~5 hours) if I can sit occasionally. I certainly don't want to do anything to make myself look bad when being subjectively graded.

It might not be a problem because I don't remember this happening when I was only on one unit and wasn't having to walk to the inconvenient staff elevator and all the way to the big toy storage room on another floor, but that was 2019 and not necessarily a fair comparison.

It may be somewhat school/rotation dependent, but I found the majority of rotations will have scenarios in which you may be standing for a while. Either on rounds, in the surgery suite, or in clinic (because there's only enough chairs for the patient, doctor, and maybe a spouse). I have two bad knees and I toughed it out, but looking back I should have requested accommodation (which your school should grant). The challenge is you may have to bring this up to every rotation/attending you're on which can be tedious.

In residency, I felt less nervous about bringing up my knee issues and on bad days would even take a rolling chair around with me on rounds so I could sit.

 

[esob]

Thank you for the very helpful response. It's specifically walking rather than standing that's an issue, which I would think would be helpful in the OR if they ask me to stand and retract something but I don't know.

Even without official accommodations, taking a break is always fine. You can excuse yourself to go to the restroom and take medication there for privacy. It would be something to think about when considering which institution to attend. For example, we have multiple hospitals on campus, and going between them is where you rack up the miles. On services where I was confined to a single building (ie FM), I did hardly any walking.

 

[gyngyn]

Thank you! Are occasional sitting/Tylenol breaks a reasonable accommodation?

That is reasonable (in most cases) even without prescribed accommodations.