reading in the OR

[Sonny Crocket]

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CA 1 here. Just wondering, do any of you residents get time to read in the OR? Am still doing pretty basic cases as it is only my 3rd month but I find it hard to see how someone could get comfortable reading while still providing anesthesia.

 

[Jeff05]

CA 1 here. Just wondering, do any of you residents get time to read in the OR? Am still doing pretty basic cases as it is only my 3rd month but I find it hard to see how someone could get comfortable reading while still providing anesthesia.

do a search.

retract.

 

[SleepIsGood]

I think since this is a PUBLIC forum it is suffice it to say things like this should perhaps be discussed in the private forum? Patients and family may frequent this site.

 

[Bertelman]

I'm assuming he is referring to reading about anesthesia in the OR (not SDN 😉).

I'm not sure a patient should be upset by that practice.

 

[deleted126335]

.

 

[narcusprince]

Please define basic cases???

 

[huktonfonix]

CA 1 here. Just wondering, do any of you residents get time to read in the OR? Am still doing pretty basic cases as it is only my 3rd month but I find it hard to see how someone could get comfortable reading while still providing anesthesia.

not in your third month. pay attention to the case. learn the nuances of the surgery so you can time your anesthetic. If you can anticipate whats going to happen in a particular procedure itll make you a better, slicker anesthesiologist. I would be worried about any junior resident thats feeling comfortable enough to read in the OR after 3 months. Not a knock on you it just helps to keep a little bit of "the fear".

 

[Sonny Crocket]

Let me clear things up. I am talking about reading anesthesia while in the OR. (Not the da vinci code or guns and ammo.)

I can't envision myself reading in the OR because I think it is dangerous, and I also think it looks bad when your attending walks in.

 

[pillowhead]

CA-2 here. As a general rule, I do not read in the OR. Now, once in a while, I might check my work e-mail or skim an article someone gave me or open up the little Anesthesia Handbook a drug that I'm using. But I do not sit there with textbooks ever for a variety of reasons.

1. You're taking care of a patient. Think about what kind of anesthesiologist you would want taking care of you if you or your family member were that patient.
2. At this point in my training, I'm still perfecting my technique of timing and learning what to expect with different types of surgeries and surgeons, esp. now that I'm on peds. I can't 100% predict the surgery, and I need to pay attention.
3. Unless you just have one long case in your OR, there's generally stuff to be doing to get things moving faster later in the day like drawing up your reversal agents, drawing up your zofran, getting tubes and blades ready for the next case, etc.
4. If the patient moves or coughs during surgical stimulation and the surgery team looks over and sees you reading, you look really unprofessional. These things happen sometimes, esp. if you're running someone on the lighter side for whatever reason. But it's much more forgivable if you're actively engaged in the case.
5. Your anesthesia attending should be coming in and out of the room frequently at this stage in the game. You really want them to catch you reading something else?

 

[Jeff05]

CA-2 here. As a general rule, I do not read in the OR. Now, once in a while, I might check my work e-mail or skim an article someone gave me or open up the little Anesthesia Handbook a drug that I'm using. But I do not sit there with textbooks ever for a variety of reasons.

1. You're taking care of a patient. Think about what kind of anesthesiologist you would want taking care of you if you or your family member were that patient.
2. At this point in my training, I'm still perfecting my technique of timing and learning what to expect with different types of surgeries and surgeons, esp. now that I'm on peds. I can't 100% predict the surgery, and I need to pay attention.
3. Unless you just have one long case in your OR, there's generally stuff to be doing to get things moving faster later in the day like drawing up your reversal agents, drawing up your zofran, getting tubes and blades ready for the next case, etc.
4. If the patient moves or coughs during surgical stimulation and the surgery team looks over and sees you reading, you look really unprofessional. These things happen sometimes, esp. if you're running someone on the lighter side for whatever reason. But it's much more forgivable if you're actively engaged in the case.
5. Your anesthesia attending should be coming in and out of the room frequently at this stage in the game. You really want them to catch you reading something else?

peds is different. different cases, attendings, etc. NO reading in peds.

 

[maceo]

this is a dumb topic

of course its ok to read in the OR Just as long as the patient is stable. there are long long long periods of the only thing you are doing is muscle relaxant here narcotic there. go up on the fluids. turn the dial.. thats it. talk about boring...... so break out your girlie mags,sports sections, novel. whatever you like.. as long as you know whats going on. you dont have to be staring at the monitor every second of the anesthetic to know whats going on..

 

[Bertelman]

3. Unless you just have one long case in your OR, there's generally stuff to be doing to get things moving faster later in the day like drawing up your reversal agents, drawing up your zofran, getting tubes and blades ready for the next case, etc.
4. If the patient moves or coughs during surgical stimulation and the surgery team looks over and sees you reading, you look really unprofessional. These things happen sometimes, esp. if you're running someone on the lighter side for whatever reason. But it's much more forgivable if you're actively engaged in the case.

I won't argue each of your points, because I think it's just personal preference.

#3- That crap shouldn't take longer than 3 minutes at this point. I generally have my paperwork completed before they reach the tissue of interest.

#4- That's why you hang the drapes high

 

[Bertelman]

you dont have to be staring at the monitor every second of the anesthetic to know whats going on..

If so, you're probably doing it wrong.

 

[jwk]

this is a dumb topic

of course its ok to read in the OR Just as long as the patient is stable. there are long long long periods of the only thing you are doing is muscle relaxant here narcotic there. go up on the fluids. turn the dial.. thats it. talk about boring...... so break out your girlie mags,sports sections, novel. whatever you like.. as long as you know whats going on. you dont have to be staring at the monitor every second of the anesthetic to know whats going on..

Is there a particular level of porn you're comfortable with in the OR? 😉

 

[jennyboo]

CA 1 here. Just wondering, do any of you residents get time to read in the OR? Am still doing pretty basic cases as it is only my 3rd month but I find it hard to see how someone could get comfortable reading while still providing anesthesia.

My rule for how to be successful in residency:

1) Never allow yourself to be caught reading, texting or thumbing at your iPhone.

2) Never bring a HUGE textbook into the OR. If you want to peek at something, take an Anesthesiology article or photocopies or a small folder.

3) If you're going to bring an anesthesia book, let it be a pocket book. My MGH Handbook used to sit subtly next to the glove boxes on the anesthesia cart.

4) Never bring extraneous magazines or photos (unless it's a picture of your newborn who was born a week ago).

When you are a resident, image is (almost) everything -- and in fact, from observing colleagues who've been on probation or who've been fired, image is even more important than your actual clinical ability. Don't let the surgeon or surgical residents see you surfing or doing casual reading, and especially don't let your attendings see you lazying around. Always do your best to appear vigilant (even if your brain is wandering to what to cook for dinner tonight). If you project the image of laziness or lack of vigilance early on, you will have to make up for it later.

(Aside: I surf on my phone and on our record charting computer as a senior resident behind the drapes where the surgeon can't see, with the computer screen turned away from both the surgeon and the door, and with my face toward the door so I can see if my attending pops in.)

 

[dhb]

Let me clear things up. I am talking about reading anesthesia while in the OR. (Not the da vinci code or guns and ammo.)

I can't envision myself reading in the OR because I think it is dangerous, and I also think it looks bad when your attending walks in.

Wrong: Anesthesiology. 2009 Feb;110(2):275-83. Links
Effects of intraoperative reading on vigilance and workload during anesthesia care in an academic medical center.

 

[Bertelman]

Wrong: Anesthesiology. 2009 Feb;110(2):275-83. Links
Effects of intraoperative reading on vigilance and workload during anesthesia care in an academic medical center.

He may actually be right. Perhaps he feels as though he cannot read and pay attention to the patient.

BTW, I think I carried that article around in my bag for a few weeks after it was published. I'm pretty sure I read it in the OR during a case. 😉