Procedures and disasters

[sean wilson]

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There are various conversations discussing people who've dealt with having to put in chest tubes while moonlighting in the ER, and of all manner of code events. At the end of my intern year (med), I find myself having witnessed two codes, ran none of them, and having put zero chest tubes into anyone. Am I unprepared for gas?

 

[militarymd]

There are various conversations discussing people who've dealt with having to put in chest tubes while moonlighting in the ER, and of all manner of code events. At the end of my intern year (med), I find myself having witnessed two codes, ran none of them, and having put zero chest tubes into anyone. Am I unprepared for gas?

You have not given any information that says you are not ready, but that doesn't mean you are ready either.

Point is, lack of procedural skill does not mean you are not ready.

 

[VentdependenT]

You won't be slappen in too many chest tubes as a non surgical intern at a large academic center. Of course you can go watch a couple which wouldn't be a bad idea.

UT's point was that if you are going to be THE go to doc at an ER at least be versed in the basics of life saving procedures such as running codes, managing arrythmias, droppen in a central for access, airway stabilization/ mechanical ventilation, and the stabilization of major trauma pts.

I suppose if you didn't know how to throw in a CT you could do a needle decompression and call for back up.

 

[jetproppilot]

You won't be slappen in too many chest tubes as a non surgical intern at a large academic center. Of course you can go watch a couple which wouldn't be a bad idea.

UT's point was that if you are going to be THE go to doc at an ER at least be versed in the basics of life saving procedures such as running codes, managing arrythmias, droppen in a central for access, airway stabilization/ mechanical ventilation, and the stabilization of major trauma pts.

I suppose if you didn't know how to throw in a CT you could do a needle decompression and call for back up.

I moonlighted at a hospital where the surgery, OBGYN, and ortho residents from the hospital where I was a resident did away rotations- so I knew all the residents- I got good (geez my college English professor would love that) at chest tubes by my buddy GS residents letting me do them- after a few they stopped coming down when someone needed one. I was a paramedic before med school so codes/trauma were no big deal- and like UT said, anesthesia teaches you how to handle the airway and all the critical care stuff. I concur with UT that anesthesia residents are in good shape for moonlighting.
I made $85.00 an hour for a day 12 hour shift (7am-7pm) and $95.00 an hour for a night shift. Geez, a weekends work was worth about a week and a half as a resident.
It was pleasant also, after I had been there a while, I was "staff", and treated like a real doctor, unlike my alternate-ego-scut-monkey-resident-self at the time. That really helped my psyche at the time, since being a resident gets REAL old REAL quick.
Know whats the worst? When you have 6 months left in your CA-3 year, you're getting minimal supervision since at this point you REALLY DO know what you're doing...and you sit down in the locker room one night at 7pm, changing your clothes, and you say to yourself...'Lets see...I worked 13 hours today...this hospital is paying me 40k a year...today I did 5 orthopedic procedures by myself.....WTF!" Hey, at that point the hospital is reaping financial reward for training you, I guess. But it still sucks when the Flex RN circulating in the room is making more than you are!

 

[Laryngospasm]

[QUOTE But it still sucks when the Flex RN circulating in the room is making more than you are! [/QUOTE]

What are you talking about, the scrub tech is making more than me at my hospital..