Observed in Surgery today

Started by DiverDoc
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DiverDoc

DiverDoc

KCUMB 2012
15+ Year Member
So this morning I was able to scrub in on an open abdominal surgery. The patient had a partial bowel obstruction. Overall very interesting and I was surprised at how much I got to help. If any of you have the oppertunity TAKE IT... I will be watching a lot over break but it really is an awesome experience. 👍
 
I still remember EVERY DETAIL of the first surgery I observed... an emergency C-section. I was working the Neo-nate truck for AMR, and got dispatched to a hospital that didn't have a NICU. Everyone was scrubbing in (I was with a nurse, resp. therapist, and a physician from the hospital we'd be transporting to), so after plugging in the isolette in the hallway (to keep the battery up, and the isolette warm), I scrubbed in and gowned up too. Everyone was too busy to notice who i was, I guess.

I stationed myself in a corner and thought two thoughts....

#1 - HOW FREAKING COOL IS THIS?!??!!

and

#2 - DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING!!!!!

All of a sudden, I heard someone say, "Is this your first time in an OR?" ... I looked up (mind racing... what do i say?!?!?! Yes=get kicked out, or No=expected to know something?!?!?!). I managed a "Yes" and looked up into the eyes of the surgeon, who I was standing RIGHT NEXT TO. Apparently I was so engrossed, I'd walked around and was right there, looking into the patients' abdomen. The surgeon just said, "Cool" and continued w/ the surgery, but explaining everything to me. Totally frickin amazing. I knew right then that I needed to be a surgeon.

If you can get into a surgery, i couldn't recommend it more.
 
I scrubbed into a few lap choles my freshman year. Interesting, but after the third it gets a bit old just watching.

I did get to see some operation where the surgeon removed dead tissue from the foot of a burn patient. I don't remember the whole story, but he was a diabetic who fell asleep with a heating pad on his foot. I'm not sure how it burned and split open his foot, but whatever.

Afterwards I discovered that the nurses apparently had a bet as to whether I would faint or not. I never did find out who won.
 
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