Official MCW Class of 2009 Thread

[Ashers]

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I'm sensing some animosity...

No -- the correct term would be "boredom." I spent 2 weeks doing nothing on Maui aside from avoiding the painters, cabinet fixers, etc and packing my bedroom. My dad told me we'd be doing a lot more stuff than we did.

 

[Agent Splat]

yep...monday would be a no-go for me. But i have now found out Sunday would work! Whatever. I don't care. Xandie and I can have special time between us when she buys me lunch to talk about things.


Okay, i was at work tonight and had a call to the max security prison in town. It inspired me to write my own boards questions. Here we go.

You are part of an ambulance crew dispatched to a maximum security prison for a male inmate that is, according to the facility's nurse, "weak, diaphoretic, and confused." You arrive at the facility and while the patient is being cleared for leaving the prison by the guards, you talk with the nurse. She rambles on endlessly about how he has a colostomy and also proudly explains how he's on a minocycline regimen for a MRSA-infected ulcer on his buttocks. She shows you a list of all of his medications, which include various medications for hypertension, INSULIN, and other drugs. She says all of his vital signs are normal, and that she doesn't know why he's shaking, sweating, and is becoming weak and confused. Which of the following things was she a complete dumbs**t about and should have done long before calling for an ambulance?

A. Checked his tacro score.
B. Asked him how he feels about his current medical situation.
C. Rechecked his criminal records
D. Checked his blood sugar.
E. Teach him to stop, drop, and roll.


I'll let you guys figure that one out on your own. Here's a hint...when we got him into my ambulance his blood sugar was 52. Earlier when we were still in the prison I had asked the nurse if she did a blood sugar. She said "oh! that's the one thing I forgot!" The guy was OBVIOUSLY a known diabetic by his paperwork. I would THINK that a known diabetic having a medical problem would be an OBVIOUS reason to check his sugar...even someone with only a LITTLE bit of medical training should be able to come up with that. But a nurse. Dang. I would think that would be a standard response.

/end rant

But then, I DID just spend a month studying for boards, so I guess I was more well prepared for something like that.

 

[akpete]

oh, oh I got that right before looking at the end of your post!!! 😀

 

[Agent Splat]

oh, oh I got that right before looking at the end of your post!!! 😀

congratulations! i know it must have been pretty hard, cause those prison RNs are usually really sharp.....NOT. Prison doctors? Not much better.

 

[akpete]

my mom and cousin are RNs. They would've first laughed, then answered the question.

 

[Ashers]

REI has wheeled backpacks on sale. Everyone should get one!!!!!! Or not.

 

[DoctorFunk]

REI has wheeled backpacks on sale. Everyone should get one!!!!!! Or not.

This could make a great gift for that special person in your life. You know who they are. 😉

 

[Ashers]

This could make a great gift for that special person in your life. You know who they are. 😉

Too bad your birthday's passed, Funk.

 

[DoctorFunk]

Too bad your birthday's passed, Funk.

I was thinking someone much more "special" than me.

 

[Ashers]

I just had an epiphany -- the Defenders of the NEish corner could each get one of those backpacks, we can rearrange our tracks, so we're all on the same one (even though, a lot of them seem to be on the same one anyway), and we can be a rolling backpack gang!!!!1!!!!one!!!

I'm bored.

 

[DoctorFunk]

I just had an epiphany -- the Defenders of the NEish corner could each get one of those backpacks, we can rearrange our tracks, so we're all on the same one (even though, a lot of them seem to be on the same one anyway), and we can be a rolling backpack gang!!!!1!!!!one!!!

I'm bored.

That sounds like a fantastic idea. We should get on that right away.

As for being bored, you could always have an action-packed day like me: heading to Wal-Mart (ugh) to get my car's oil changed, grocery shopping, and checking out a used bookstore so I can kid myself into thinking I'll actually have time during M3 year to read for fun.

 

[45408]

Yeah, we do finger sticks on any diabetic presenting with something that could be related to blood sugar. A 52 would merit a call for a med unit though - it's not a BLS call in Milwaukee county. The lowest blood sugar I've ever seen was my own - a 56 in my EMT-B class. I hadn't eaten all day. 😛

 

[Ashers]

That sounds like a fantastic idea. We should get on that right away.

As for being bored, you could always have an action-packed day like me: heading to Wal-Mart (ugh) to get my car's oil changed, grocery shopping, and checking out a used bookstore so I can kid myself into thinking I'll actually have time during M3 year to read for fun.

I've got my flight from ORD --> MKE still yet (another 30 min til it leaves). Then I have to go to the bank and deposit money since I have none to pay my car registration and water bill that was probably due last week, but I was in HI, so I couldn't pay it. Then there's cleaning the apt. I've been reliving my premed (interview trips) days by rereading the Complete Sherlock Holmes and sleeping on planes. My day sounds a lot like yours. Oh, and dreaded unpacking. ugh.

 

[DoctorFunk]

Yeah, we do finger sticks on any diabetic presenting with something that could be related to blood sugar.

I think diabetics should just have a real-time blood sugar monitor that displays their current readings on a TV screen attached to their chest. That way we could always know whether they have been bad or good. Alternatively, we could use these tools as the basis for a new hit reality TV show entitled American Diabetic DeathDuel Idol.

 

[DoctorFunk]

Oh, and dreaded unpacking. ugh.

You win.

 

[Ashers]

I think diabetics should just have a real-time blood sugar monitor that displays their current readings on a TV screen attached to their chest. That way we could always know whether they have been bad or good. Alternatively, we could use these tools as the basis for a new hit reality TV show entitled American Diabetic DeathDuel Idol.

See who can go the longest without eating? Another challenge see who can get their blood glucose the highest?

A TV screen might be a bit cumbersome. Just have a scrolling marquee (sp?) attached to their foreheads.

 

[DoctorFunk]

See who can go the longest without eating? Another challenge see who can get their blood glucose the highest?

A TV screen might be a bit cumbersome. Just have a scrolling marquee (sp?) attached to their foreheads.

You just earned yourself a job as the executive producer.

 

[donnyfire]

The lowest sugar I saw was 14.

This patient was a frequent flyer with us, and had sugars usually in the 20s to 30s and was still somewhat coherent. Over the years, the frequent episodes of hypoglycemia took their toll on his ability to think. It was sad to see a guy of apparently normal intelligence decline to a much lower level of function.

 

[donnyfire]

See who can go the longest without eating?

Another point for those of you starting on surgery. Always eat before you go into the OR. You never know how long you'll be in there. Take care of bodily functions as well.

Xandie, tell them Henry's laws of surgery!!

 

[Ashers]

Another point for those of you starting on surgery. Always eat before you go into the OR. You never know how long you'll be in there. Take care of bodily functions as well.

Xandie, tell them Henry's laws of surgery!!

Oh, last summer my preceptor had my lab manager call and tell me to get to the OR asap to be in surgery that day. I was just starting to eat. So I didn't eat anything, instead of getting a migraine like normal from not eating, I nearly fainted as we were closing the last case.

It's ok if I carry snack bars with me, right? (obviously not into surgery, but just on rotations in general)

 

[donnyfire]

It's ok if I carry snack bars with me, right? (obviously not into surgery, but just on rotations in general)

Yes, they're your pockets. Put whatever you want into them. I usually also carry a coffee around with me on rounds in the morning. Good etiquette is to leave it outside of the patients room though.

 

[akpete]

I think the eating thing is gonna be important for me as I have passed out from not eating before and have had several episodes of shaking, sweating, nausea, and the beginnings of passing out.

 

[Agent Splat]

I think the eating thing is gonna be important for me as I have passed out from not eating before and have had several episodes of shaking, sweating, nausea, and the beginnings of passing out.

i get that too, but i usually take a bite out of my upper arm (discrete, hidden location) and I feel better pretty quick.

 

[Xandie]

Wow. you guys get off topic fast. Sunday works. Discuss.

 

[Agent Splat]

Sunday works. Discuss.

i'm not sure i'm in the mood for any frisbee.

 

[Ashers]

i'm not sure i'm in the mood for any frisbee.

How about tennis?

 

[DoctorFunk]

Lewis Black makes me happy (and also makes me want to see his act at Summerfest).

 

[Ashers]

Having food in my apt makes me happy.

I want to see Weird Al and Reel Big Fish at Summerfest and Jimmy Eat World whenever they're playing in MKE.

 

[akpete]

I just wanna go to Summerfest in general. 🙂

 

[donnyfire]

Wow. you guys get off topic fast. Sunday works. Discuss.

Um, which sunday? Tomorrow, or next?

 

[akpete]

Tomorrow would be good for me. Next Sunday...eh, not so much.

 

[Ashers]

Tomorrow would be good for me. Next Sunday...eh, not so much.

Yeah, I can do tomorrow, as long as I'm back at the Reserve by like 11pm.

 

[DoctorFunk]

Pretty sure tomorrow would work for me (still need to check with the wife though).

 

[Agent Splat]

Pretty sure tomorrow would work for me (still need to check with the wife though).

should work for me...i gotta check with Funk's wife too though.

 

[Ashers]

should work for me...i gotta check with Funk's wife too though.

Oh just bring her along. Tell Funk that she needs to come.

 

[DoctorFunk]

should work for me...i gotta check with Funk's wife too though.

Wifey says it's ok, but I should really check with Splat's mom. Would hate to cancel our date on such short notice.

 

[Agent Splat]

Wifey says it's ok, but I should really check with Splat's mom. Would hate to cancel our date on such short notice.

true, she's still pretty pissed about last week.

 

[DoctorFunk]

true, she's still pretty pissed about last week.

I told her that I don't do dom. Did she really expect that 1.5L of Yellow Tail to change that?

 

[Ashers]

Ummmm... so when? Where?

I'd offer my place, but I did not come back alone from Maui -- a hurricane followed me into my apartment.

 

[Agent Splat]

Reminder:

New protocol says that for all ages, CPR ratio for a single rescuer is 30 compressions to 2 breathes.

for 2 rescuer CPR, the ratio is 15:2 for child and infant. (see Fig. 1a)


Fig. 1a

 

[Ashers]

The dog's checking the airway and some sort of stimulus test right?

 

[Xandie]

Today? Who what when where? And where's Don? I nominate someone is in charge of contacting him. And that person is not me. Not it!

 

[akpete]

Not it!

How about 7? Where - I dunno. Not my house. My dog would try to eat everyone's food and I have a months-worth of laundry piled up in my bedroom (ran out of money to do laundry).

 

[DoctorFunk]

Not it! 7 sounds fine to me. Maybe we could plan to meet at some restaurant/bar in Tosa with decent food and drinks (and a patient waitstaff that won't mind us BSing for a long time).

 

[Ashers]

I'll call Don if we ever figure out where. Since 7 is apparently the time.

Can I bring candy to a bar? I have all this mac nut stuff I don't want. I guess making spam musubi is out (I'll make it sometime again).

 

[akpete]

Yeah, I was thinking someone's house for the spam musabi, but if we have it another time, definitely restaurant/bar.

Ashleigh, I'm sure you can bring the candy. As long as people actually order other stuff. I've been around when people have ordered meals, but then brought a birthday cake and even got dessert plates from the server.

The first places that come to mind for me for food and sitting around for a while are the Chancery and Mo's. Though I'm sure there are other places. That's just my first thought.

 

[Xandie]

I am pleased to announce that I will be unveiling my new haircut this evening. Ten points to any boys who can figure out at least 2 of the changes. Points are redeemable for... something.

 

[Agent Splat]

I am pleased to announce that I will be unveiling my new haircut this evening. Ten points to any boys who can figure out at least 2 of the changes. Points are redeemable for... something.

i will also reveal my new haircut this evening. but it's really just shorter. i hope to get some of Xandie's something tonight.

 

[akpete]

So where are we meeting?

 

[akpete]

Bueller?