At what point in our medical careers do we become immune to the incessant beeping of monitors and alarms. I'm sitting at my desk in the ER (2 hours past my shift waiting on a CT scan which is why I'm writing this) and there are about 5 different beeps beeping and no one, including me, is paying any attention. This would drive a normal person insane. Maybe I've gone nuts and just can't tell the difference any more.
1) Vomiting
2) Screams of terror - psych pts, melodramatics, rarely people in serious distress
3) Muttering of "them doctors don't know what they're talkin' about. I've been waiting for four hours and..."
4) I'm going to sue you and this hospital for every penny!
It takes a few shifts for me to get used to the beeping, then I'm fine. I think the beeps account for at least half of the "Oh, you want to work in the ER? THAT PLACE IS NUTS!" sentiment.
I personally find the "screams of terror" from some psych patients kind of entertaining. I'm convinced that psychiatrists have the best poker faces in medicine, because I couldn't help but laugh at a few of the patients on my psych months.
Our psych room has a 12"x12" window on the door, and it seems like there is always some crazy with their nose pressed up against the glass looking like Jack Nicholson with his head through the door in the Shining. They are always tapping on the window to get the attention of whoever walks by - like we are going to stop and say "Oh, did you want to go home? OK!" Tap Tap Tap. Tap Tap Tap Tap. Tap Tap Tap. Tap Tap. We just tune it out......Tap Tap Tap.
