Sounds like a favor that needs to be repaid with interest when Widgetweek starts
Respect for physicians
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Could be worse. You could be a lawyer.
I have referenced this article before on SDN as a good read, however I think an excerpt may be particularly applicable in this somewhat cynical thread. These issues are not new...
Lancet, 1965:
"True, the pedestal ascended by the doctor on graduation no longer enables him to look down on other people. The education of many of these others is as good as his own, or better; and their training is sometimes as long. Now that the mysteries of his art are daily exposed to public gaze, the doctor has less hope of being mistaken for a wizard. If, then, he is to be henceforward but a man among men, why should he not enjoy the amenities of such normality- the easier hours, the shedding of responsibility, and the less demanding life that others commonly accept as natural? That so many doctors nowadays should be disheartened about their function and their future is party a reflection on our profession. It means in fact that more and more of those exposed to the hurlyburly of practice are coming to regard the professional ideal as unrealistic and out of date. But surely they are wrong? For it is not true that the doctor is simply a man among men: when his patients turn to him in affliction he becomes something more. With all its faults the profession to which he belongs is not a body of technologists interested solely in the means by which physical or mental processes can be restored to normal: it is a body of doctors seeking to use these means to an end- to help patients to cope with their lives. Though not a religious order vowed to poverty and disregard of self, out profession sets standards so high that even an angel could not reach them always. The public expects competence, efficiency, and skill; and, to provide these, medicine makes ever greater demands on those who practice it. But, unlike other professions bearing heavy responsibilities, its pride is mainly in giving more than the public can expect- in giving, when the need arises, without stint. In Francis Peabody's famous words: 'the secret of care of the patient is in caring for the patient'"
Lancet, 1965:
"True, the pedestal ascended by the doctor on graduation no longer enables him to look down on other people. The education of many of these others is as good as his own, or better; and their training is sometimes as long. Now that the mysteries of his art are daily exposed to public gaze, the doctor has less hope of being mistaken for a wizard. If, then, he is to be henceforward but a man among men, why should he not enjoy the amenities of such normality- the easier hours, the shedding of responsibility, and the less demanding life that others commonly accept as natural? That so many doctors nowadays should be disheartened about their function and their future is party a reflection on our profession. It means in fact that more and more of those exposed to the hurlyburly of practice are coming to regard the professional ideal as unrealistic and out of date. But surely they are wrong? For it is not true that the doctor is simply a man among men: when his patients turn to him in affliction he becomes something more. With all its faults the profession to which he belongs is not a body of technologists interested solely in the means by which physical or mental processes can be restored to normal: it is a body of doctors seeking to use these means to an end- to help patients to cope with their lives. Though not a religious order vowed to poverty and disregard of self, out profession sets standards so high that even an angel could not reach them always. The public expects competence, efficiency, and skill; and, to provide these, medicine makes ever greater demands on those who practice it. But, unlike other professions bearing heavy responsibilities, its pride is mainly in giving more than the public can expect- in giving, when the need arises, without stint. In Francis Peabody's famous words: 'the secret of care of the patient is in caring for the patient'"
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I don't necessarily believe enduring condescending attitudes from administration and government, after all of our training and education, to be normal. Nor is being stalked by lawyers and patients like paparazzi. How are we to embrace being normal, when we aren't really held to the standards of normal individuals?
I respect the advice of my senior attendings and fellow colleagues on here; you guys give sound and realistic advice. Don't get me wrong, I don't sit around all day lamenting over where our profession is currently. I will admit that some days, it'll bottle up and I'll have to release like I did on the start of this thread. Otherwise, I am a pretty happy/fortunate guy and would not choose to do any other job. Okay, maybe a professional athlete.. they have it pretty darn good...
But there aint' no harm in being hopeful for a better future, rather than accepting one that's deteriorating. Deem me a hypocrite, I have learned to wipe crap off of me better than my newly installed windshield wipers, but I will never believe that this is all we can do- learn to take **** in what's supposed to be your home field and just find a way to enjoy life outside of work. Coming from another country where doctors are much, much more respected, it makes no sense to work so hard just to be constantly disrespected, given orders by non-physicians (including patients), and have our actions controlled by the government.
Whilst many on here say "good luck you self-righteous young buck" every time someone comes in with a go-getter attitude; I say that I fully understand and support you. I just wish I had that will and determination to defeat Goliath and make our jobs just a little more enjoyable.
I respect the advice of my senior attendings and fellow colleagues on here; you guys give sound and realistic advice. Don't get me wrong, I don't sit around all day lamenting over where our profession is currently. I will admit that some days, it'll bottle up and I'll have to release like I did on the start of this thread. Otherwise, I am a pretty happy/fortunate guy and would not choose to do any other job. Okay, maybe a professional athlete.. they have it pretty darn good...
But there aint' no harm in being hopeful for a better future, rather than accepting one that's deteriorating. Deem me a hypocrite, I have learned to wipe crap off of me better than my newly installed windshield wipers, but I will never believe that this is all we can do- learn to take **** in what's supposed to be your home field and just find a way to enjoy life outside of work. Coming from another country where doctors are much, much more respected, it makes no sense to work so hard just to be constantly disrespected, given orders by non-physicians (including patients), and have our actions controlled by the government.
Whilst many on here say "good luck you self-righteous young buck" every time someone comes in with a go-getter attitude; I say that I fully understand and support you. I just wish I had that will and determination to defeat Goliath and make our jobs just a little more enjoyable.
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I guess I'm probably the only one here who sees the irony of a thread lamenting the perceived lack of respect of one profession being built upon a foundation of an actual lack of respect for another.
On the other hand, I'll admit that the lawyers often have it coming.
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That's a valid point.
One of the main problems with law in the US is that it is an adversarial system. Vigorous action on behalf of the client, regardless of truth or morality (pretty much), is the only acceptable professional behavior. When people complain that lawyers will argue anything, no matter how ridiculous or reprehensible they say it is not their fault as the system demands it.
We can see in from this thread that the medical system is demanding that we cast aside the traditional selflessness of medicine and act as cogs in a broken machine just like the lawyers. This system is likely to break us as irreparably as it did them.
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What's really ironic about this is that I've heard all of this before--from plainitffs' lawyers, about those of us who defend physicians. Understandable that the general public might buy into that, but ironically painful that the very physicians we dedicate ourselves to defending buy it, too.
I guess physicians aren't the only professionals whose reputations are susceptible to erosion by unfair generalizations.
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I love this thread. I have shadowed many a doc, and from what I've seen, docs are extremely respected here ( Louisiana) and in Texas where my brother practices. The only thing I noticed At my brothers hospital is that the ancillary staff seemed to have a chip on their shoulder( long-short story but It happened).
I have never seen a person older than 40 being disrespectful to a doc, nor have I seen a younger person like myself be disrespectful to one. Probably because I've mainly shadowed PP physicians.
I bet you , however, if there's one age group that already does disrespect and will continue to disrespect , it is my age group. Doesn't it make perfect sense? Terrible public education and a supreme sense of entitlement from the urban yoof cohort is probably a major major source of such disrespect. Drug seekers will probably always not care about respect, no matter the age group. But it seems to me that the times have changed... I talk to an older physician anesthesiologist about 3x a week at the gym and he tells me that the current lack of education in the populace has given more power to the nanny state, bureaucratic health care system that we have.." It seems like its a complete sociopolitical issue. Isn't it sad that politics is even in the same sentence as medicine?
I have never seen a person older than 40 being disrespectful to a doc, nor have I seen a younger person like myself be disrespectful to one. Probably because I've mainly shadowed PP physicians.
I bet you , however, if there's one age group that already does disrespect and will continue to disrespect , it is my age group. Doesn't it make perfect sense? Terrible public education and a supreme sense of entitlement from the urban yoof cohort is probably a major major source of such disrespect. Drug seekers will probably always not care about respect, no matter the age group. But it seems to me that the times have changed... I talk to an older physician anesthesiologist about 3x a week at the gym and he tells me that the current lack of education in the populace has given more power to the nanny state, bureaucratic health care system that we have.." It seems like its a complete sociopolitical issue. Isn't it sad that politics is even in the same sentence as medicine?
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The respect train has sailed (mixed metaphor), so in our new reality we have to realize that it's not coming back. There might be certain geographical areas or populations who still respect us for our knowledge, training, and ability. We have to realize though, that in this new healthcare era it's all going to be out metrics, outcomes, and cost-containment. We are viewed by the government, hospital admins, insurance plans, and lobbyist groups as interchangeable and replaceable. We are a commodity to be bartered for, traded, regulated, and taxed. Fighting it will do no good. Resenting the new way of things will do no good. You simply need to accept it, adapt a practice style that fits within this framework but prevents you from getting burned out.
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I actually agree with this completely. We are all replaceable. And that's okay. Some people don't want to accept it, but it's true.
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There's an old saying that goes something like "The cemeteries are full of people who thought the world couldn't get along without them."
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Ummm... So now I'm not sure of your point. Are you saying we should take the high road and refrain from generalizing about lawyers?
My previous sentiment that the legal profession has extremes made up of the good and the bad and that the bulk just play their roles in a broken system is about as charitable as I can be.
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Whereas I just believe that ""99% of the lawyers make all the rest of them look bad".
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I don't know if I have anything profound to say or add, but I will say that this thread has been way full of "hell yes!" moments for me. I think that if the medical student me had read this, I might have (mistakenly) labeled the posters here as "bitter" or "burned out."
I have just started a run of shifts so I'm trying out Widget Week 2013. It's worked well so far but not been really pushed...only one challenging patient.
If I may, I do want to point out that the patient demographic may have a lot to do with these feelings. Where I currently work is chock FULL of those young, clueless yet supremely entitled people. They typically have two neurons to rub together to make the connection and a second pair to enable speech and yet give me that "what do you mean a fever of 102.5 isn't something to freak out about??" look.
Where I used to work, the proportion was much more balanced across the age ranges and patients were very generally very grateful for what we did.
The other factor is the administration. Where I work we have fantastic admin who're generally supportive and who's first priority was setting up a winning environment (i.e., wanted the high alert program started ASAP). Still, they're administration and sometimes the conflicting messages (pts seen in <15 minutes, charts done before you leave!, perfect customer service, don't transfer anyone!) give me heartburn and are unwinnable.
I have just started a run of shifts so I'm trying out Widget Week 2013. It's worked well so far but not been really pushed...only one challenging patient.
If I may, I do want to point out that the patient demographic may have a lot to do with these feelings. Where I currently work is chock FULL of those young, clueless yet supremely entitled people. They typically have two neurons to rub together to make the connection and a second pair to enable speech and yet give me that "what do you mean a fever of 102.5 isn't something to freak out about??" look.
Where I used to work, the proportion was much more balanced across the age ranges and patients were very generally very grateful for what we did.
The other factor is the administration. Where I work we have fantastic admin who're generally supportive and who's first priority was setting up a winning environment (i.e., wanted the high alert program started ASAP). Still, they're administration and sometimes the conflicting messages (pts seen in <15 minutes, charts done before you leave!, perfect customer service, don't transfer anyone!) give me heartburn and are unwinnable.
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Its the difference between "10" and "15" minutes that they obsess over, is completely inaccurately measured, is totally useless, and drives me batty.
I brought this to the attention of one of the admin spies (sent down to see just what it was that we were doing to screw up the times). Patient arrives in triage, clock starts. Patient decides that she'd better call 3 people to let them know that she's here, clock keeps ticking, nurse begins her triage process, patient interrupts triage nurse twice more to take phone calls and once to "go have a cigarette" because she knows that she can't leave to go have a smoke once she's back in the ED. 12 minutes now on the clock. God forbid the nurse takes 3 minutes to get a decent HPI and take some vitals. 15 minutes and the patient is not in the room yet. There you have it.
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I brought this to the attention of one of the admin spies (sent down to see just what it was that we were doing to screw up the times). Patient arrives in triage, clock starts. Patient decides that she'd better call 3 people to let them know that she's here, clock keeps ticking, nurse begins her triage process, patient interrupts triage nurse twice more to take phone calls and once to "go have a cigarette" because she knows that she can't leave to go have a smoke once she's back in the ED. 12 minutes now on the clock. God forbid the nurse takes 3 minutes to get a decent HPI and take some vitals. 15 minutes and the patient is not in the room yet. There you have it.
adf/kldjsf;lJDPOCIJAPOESIDFJPAODFSJa;ldskjf;akjdsf;oaicwn
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The time stamps on essentially every metric are pieces of mutually agreed upon fiction. In getting accredited for chest pain, they care greatly about door to EKG and door to balloon times. However, the institution gets to decided what they consider the "door" time as long as they are consistent (is it when patient walks in, when they register, when the first piece of documentation is generated,etc.).
In terms of door to bed times, part of the problem is that most EDs exist in two separate and discreet states. In state 1, the ED isn't full and there should be essentially no triage but just bringing the patient back to the next empty room. In state 2, the waiting room is backed up and triage is necessary. Switching back and forth between the two states nimbly will drop door to bed time, but it's also extremely difficult culture wise because most nurses are used to a triaged patient and only tolerate an untriaged patient if they have no other tasks.
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Admin views medicine as a customer service business. Period. You take care of all that messy "medicine and ethics stuff" for them, as a given. To them, these things are a mere annoyance they want nothing to do with. In EM, the only way for you to be in their good graces is to move as many happy customers through, as fast as possible, without generating lawsuits for them, complaints or bad press. Period. It will never change. Even with data showing that a customer service focus in medicine is correlated with higher death rates they don't care. Their money, is their money. As Obamacare rolls out, and there are more fish fighting over less available chum, expect the tactics to get only more aggressive.
ACEP, ABEM, AAEM are all powerless to change anything. They won't bite the hand that feeds them any more than you will.
You have three choices:
1-Accept it for what it is, with whatever adaptation suits you, and be happy,
2-Refuse to accept it for what it is and be continuously frustrated, or
3-Walk, and refuse to be subject to such an intolerably unacceptable level of petty BS while simultaneously having to deal with life and death emergencies at one of the most stressful jobs on the planet.
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*one slow clap swells into a violent sea of applause, cheering, and fist pumping*
At the end of the day, when it's all said and done, you've gotta watch out for you and yours.
This man is one step closer to achieving nirvana.
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Its JUST a friggen JOB. Once I realized that my life became brighter, my days easier, and I began to take myself (and the drones of hungry antisocialites whom permiate the medical system and are looking for approval) less serious.
Get in, giter done, get out.
Get in, giter done, get out.
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Wow, Prince, I never knew rockin' out could be such a downer. Keep your chin up, bro.
It better be more than that. I'm pretty sure I can find a more efficient way to make money. If its just a job, its really a poor financial move to spend 12 years learning to do it and paying a quarter mill compounding at 6.8%
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Nope. just a job.
My "motive" to enter medicine wasnt financially based
My "motive" to enter medicine wasnt financially based
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I seeeeeeen da light! Dats all!
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Ruminations On Hot Dogs & Emergency Medicine
I was told once, at the start of my career in EM, the difference in being a "customer" versus a "vendor" and that this would dictate how I was treated throughout my career. I had no idea how important this was, and how much it would permeate every nook and cranny of my job, and the system I had to navigate.
You see, a spine surgeon for example, is a "customer" of the hospital. He brings a practice, patients and therefore money to a hospital. If he leaves, the practice, the patients and the money go with him. The spine surgeon is the guy that walks up to the hot dog stand and every night orders 100 hot dogs. We don't always have to like him, but "By golly!" he pays half of our quarterly bonus! This customer must be kept happy, at all costs. He's a high roller, making him rich can makes us rich, and there's not that many of him out there. "The customer is always right," and the customer will be treated accordingly. Customer a-s is always kissed.
A patient, also is a customer. A patient brings with him a goody bag of the hospitals favorite treats called an insurance card. It is this goody bag that he gives as currency in exchange for a hot dog. If the patient leaves the hospital, he takes the goody bag with him. This goody bag could contain a lump of coal, or more often a few hundred dollars. Hell, sometimes we've gotten goody bags with tens of thousands of dollars in them (chest-pain admit, heart-cath, plus big facility fees), or hundreds of thousand dollars (complex spine surgery, trouble with vent weaning, prolonged ICU course) hiding in them! This customer doesn't always tip big, and doesn't always buy lots of hot dogs, but damn it, there's TONS just like him out there. We can afford to p-ss off a couple here or there, but on balance, if we keep most happy, and keep them coming, the numbers will add up. Once again, "this customer is always right," and the customer will be treated accordingly. Customer a-s is always kissed, ESPECIALLY when they carry goody bags full of surprises.
An Emergency Physician is, well...a vendor. He's the guy selling the hot dogs at the stadium (myself included). His job is primarily to keep the goody-bag bearing customers happy, and to keep the lines a movin'. His job is an important one, no doubt, but it's different. He comes to the hospital with no goody bag of his own and no practice, patients or business to bring. Sure, we'd like to rent a space to somebody with a hot dog cart, 'cause after all, a big juicy hot dog does keep the customers happy after all. But we don't really care if it's Nathan's Hot Dogs, Hebrew National, or Tap Dance Coney, as long as the customers like it. And you know what, after all, if Tap Dance Coney gets tired of tap dancing, or gets tired of following all of our stupids sanitation policies, it's cool. We'll just call Nathan's, Hebrew National, Outhouse Dog, or who gives a rip, we'll bring in someone not even fully trained to cook hot dog. After all, the others have been drooling over the contract and have all been promising to do it for cheaper. After all, the customers just want a halfway decent friggin' hot dog, service with a smile and to get back to watching the damn game.
A smart vendor knows his place, knows who's who, and what everyone's role is. A smart vendor knows that it's a privilege to be given the opportunity to have access. After all, it is access to the "customers," that pays the vendor's bills. A smart vendor never loses sight of the fact that even though the customers sometimes can be very difficult and demanding, they put food on his table. A smart vendor that shows up early, leaves late and wears a polite smile in the face of adversity will be able to pay his bills, and may even do very well if he can grill a halfway decent dog. A vendor, however, will never be treated like a "customer," and definitely never like the high roller. If a vendor gets to big for his own britches, well...we'll just get a new one who'll fit in the pants.
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Birdstrike.....
....word.
....word.
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But they don't understand that it's fiction. They dump a lot of fiction into a bucket and call it data. Whenever they're witch hunting some doc they always bring up a bunch of data and averages and even though we all know it's crap we just act like it's gospel and mete out remediation and performance improvement plans and so on and what not. It's all crap.
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Awesome pic! That's friggin' hilarious! Is that you, Discharged? You just outed yourself online! LOL
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I've been compromised. Lol just supplementing your post with a visual!
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D
deleted6669
and just what is that sock monkey doing to you and do they work for the joint commission or hospital admin?Awesome pic! That's friggin' hilarious! Is that you, Discharged? You just outed yourself online! LOL
I think there are a couple of components to this. Honestly, I think we work hard, but the previous generations as a whole dedicated much of their life to medicine. Medicine used to be a life's dedication and craft. Now it still takes a lot of work... don't get me wrong. BUT with work hours and time spent charting and what not, the time commitment isn't there to learning clinical medicine. There is a larger emphasis on lifestyle likely partly due to decreasing reimbursement. Couple these things with an ever expanding list of things to know, it is just too much for any one physician to conquer. The internet has demystified possible etiologies of symptoms and medical specialization has removed the onus on doctors to know more and more themselves.
Honestly, given the ridiculous number of labs/tests that are ordered and emphasis I see on referrals, it's hard not to see the writing on the wall.
Honestly, given the ridiculous number of labs/tests that are ordered and emphasis I see on referrals, it's hard not to see the writing on the wall.
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Yes! LOL. Good eye. What is that sock monkey doing? LOL
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If I remember correctly, sock monkey was displeased with my productivity, as 2 hot dogs/hr was not cutting it. BTW, I have different colored leashes each day given to me by some generous insurance companies! Although, this particular day was more of a political statement... 😉
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I think the sock monkey's supposed to be carrying the box. He's the vendor.
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... or realize that it isn't just you falling victim to the lack of respect you lament. Which ought to be all the more clear given your willingness to pay that lack of respect forward, more or less.
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So I started a two-shift version of "Widget Week" the other day. Result? Moved faster, less stressed, and oddly I was able to be more compassionate with the non-trolls (even some of the low-grade trolls).
Weird.
Weird.
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Warning, anecdotal evidence alert.
Since I've adopted the attitude GV endorsed (as I interpreted it) patient's have seemed happier and I've received multiple compliments.
I think it's because I'm more genuine. The assh*les are still telling me to go folk myself, but I've never been able to please them anyhow.
Of course, it could also just be coincidence.
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I don't lament any lack of respect. I couldn't care less. I'm an ER doc. If I based anything on the respect I get from patients, other docs or lawyers I'd be in really sorry shape.
I don't think much of lawyers or the legal profession or the legal system. You are correct in that I don't respect them.
There is no irony or hypocrisy in this because I don't expect or ask for any respect myself and I have a really low opinion of the medical system too.
So I'm not falling victim to anything other than if you count being a member of one of the two most broken and downright harmful industries in the country.
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Actually, Birdstrike, that's a great way to look at modern life in the ER. It frees you from all the chains of antiquity, the Hippocratic oath, the caring about your patients (well, you care for 30 days or until another doc gets their grubby hands on them for liability purposes) and so on. In the end, our job isn't to cure but merely to keep the customers coming back. So if you hit the addict with 2mg of dilaudid with a smile, it's just part of the job. Doing good doesn't matter, profit margins and paying the bills does. In a sense this is liberating because you really don't have to give a **** about the people who wander through the front door, merely make them think that you do.
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I get the sarcasm but none of us went into medicine to be in this position. You make a good point about the difference, or lack thereof, between caring about the patients and making them think you do. Our problem as a specialty is that the system favors those you put on a good show more than those who do the right thing. And they'll work you like a rented mule while you put on the kabuki theater of modern health care.
Also no one is talking about profits. They're talking about accepting the role of wage slave and trying to make peace with it. It's like a prison shower. Go limp and roll with it. It'll be easier in the long run.
I don't necessarily agree with this. I'm still fighting but it's wearing me down. I also think there's a good possibility I'll just get tossed on the heap to rot while they fill my spot with some guys who are willing to smile big and talk the script.
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I'm not advocating this. I'm just making observations about the system we're put in. Note that I said this, "You take care of all that messy 'medicine and ethics stuff' for them, as a given." That's the problem. All that messy "medicine and ethics stuff" is what makes being a doc so difficult. You have to take care of that end, because no one else will. We can't lose focus on what's most important, ie, the patients, the Medicine and the ethics. Unfortunately, the "system" and the Overlords of Healthcare running the system punish this and reward "opting out insidiously" by not caring or just checking out. That's what makes it so hard. I know it's long, but consider reading the post I just put up about the 5-year-old girl. http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=1005861 Does that read like someone who doesn't care? Of course it's easier to just not care, but I'm not advocating what you describe. Make no mistake about it, though, that is what our current system rewards, and following the laws of human nature people will adapt to the system they're in. It's lot harder to care and do what's right, but it is better to care and do what's right. That doesn't mean agreeing to take constant abuse or to being continually walked on, but it does mean having principles.
For a primary care doc it might mean going cash-pay concierge only, or quietly phasing out any charity work or Medicaid patients.
For an EP it might mean setting a drastic limit on shifts, hours, or the amount of admin interference that may be tolerated. It might mean leaving the hospital and opening a free standing clinic where the "customers" are yours. All of a sudden their interests and yours are aligned, without a middle man telling you it all revolves around pleasing the "customer" when it's really about pleasing him. Imagine that. All of these "adaptations" unfortunately will strain the system, but many people will find them necessary.
For an orthopedist it may mean opting out of ER call and moving to an ASC.
There are many adaptations that people will make. But just giving up your soul, refusing to care and treating patients like hedge fund managers treat coins?
I don't advocate that. There are much easier ways to die soul-less, and without incurring so much student loan debt.
Do what's right, but also take l o n g and amazing vacations. Work at the job with the absolute best quality of life. Take long walks at the park and stay at the beach just a l i t t l e while longer. Because you know why, work will still be there when you get back. And most of all, spend time with your family,
and just,
enjoy,
LIFE.
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Its important we don't just accept things as they are. Yes, it may be easier to be a widget mover. To those ahead of me: please don't give up. I know the system sucks sometimes. I know it will wear you down. One thing I have noticed about any job in heathcare is that there is a constant stream of people trying to get you to do the wrong thing. Resist the urge to become complacent. We are counting on you. Once we accept the system as it is and give up the fight there is nobody to blame for its shortcomings but ourselves.
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WidgetWeek Update:
I was going to do a WidgetWeek thread on its own, but during my three-day stretch of shifts, I have to admit... I kinda "forgot" that I was supposed to be "doing" WidgetWeek because our volume has mercifully died down. Seems that all the New Englanders and Ontarians have gone back (finally) north and left us with groups of nurses deciding "which one should go home early today?"
I have another 3-day stretch beginning tomorrow. I'll try again.
Three days seems to be all that I can "take" during high-season. Four can be done. Five, and I want to quit my life.
I was going to do a WidgetWeek thread on its own, but during my three-day stretch of shifts, I have to admit... I kinda "forgot" that I was supposed to be "doing" WidgetWeek because our volume has mercifully died down. Seems that all the New Englanders and Ontarians have gone back (finally) north and left us with groups of nurses deciding "which one should go home early today?"
I have another 3-day stretch beginning tomorrow. I'll try again.
Three days seems to be all that I can "take" during high-season. Four can be done. Five, and I want to quit my life.
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I just got done reading an article in a newspaper about a doctor that got arrested for committing fraud and it actually pulled me back to this line in this post. It made me realize what a profoundly important and smart observation this is.
Never forget this, or the fact that many times the last line of defense between what's right and "going along with the wrong," is you.
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This world is filled with insensitive and idiotic people. As i recognize that there are bad people, I have to recognize that there are good people still. These good people are the ones that motivate me to become a sugeon and provide top care for my patients.
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It is a profound observation, but unfortunately the "smart people getting you to do the wrong things" are generally the ones who determine whether or not you have a job. Appeasing them is easier, causes less friction, and gives you more job security than trying to argue with them.
The system is broken beyond repair. Until the American public, politicians, and hospital administrators understand this, and retrench some of their idiotic beliefs, we will be caught powerless in the middle.
Sure its easier to appease them. Was it easy to get into medical school? Was it easy studying for and passing the boards? Was residency easy? Nothing about medicine is easy, from beginning to end.
Did anyone on here find it difficult to find a job as an EM BC/BE? Is job security a daily worry for you?
Of course any reasonable person would agree that compromises must be made, however its important to not compromise on the things that matter most...the things that define us as a profession. Its easy to lose sight of this in the daily grind.
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History certainly is replete with people crucified, literally and figuratively, for doing the right thing, being ahead of their time, or for being outspoken. That's why it's important to know where to draw the line between "playing the game" for self-preservation, and being complicit.
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