So I started my first volunteer shift...

[Rotinaj]

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I recently started volunteering up at the Kansas University Hospital ER to see what a medical setting was really like. As I walked in, I felt anxious and nervous, fearing that I'd probably see someone with half a head and doctors running around. I figured I'd just be moving beds, changing sheets and helping move a patient here or there, but apparently they didn't have much need for me. I walked in and the charge nurse told me that he'd hook me up with a med tech and I'd be helping them out all night, so I just stood there for a few minutes. A few minutes turned into 30, just standing there, looking like a collosal douche in my khackis and blue volunteer polo. The rest of the night was kind of like that, as most of the ER staff had little to do but chat. Turns out they were actually talking about how busy it was too.

Really though it was a fun experience getting to talk to some of the nurses and EMTs. I don't know what I expected in the ER, but it was a lot more casual than I thought it'd be. For the most part, about 60% of the staff was just milling around most of the time. Anyone else care to opine on their volunteer shifts?

 

[curlywurly]

I'm glad you had fun volunteering, even though it was a little boring. From my ER volunteering experience, it's likely that you'll be bored most of the time. I spent almost my whole volunteering shift hanging out at the triage desk chatting with the nurses.

It's easier said than done, but try to get involved as much as possible. Specifically ask for something to do, but try not to be a pest. The only time I ever got to see anything cool was one day when I stood right outside the trauma room. One of the doctors came up to me and asked what I was doing and I told him that I "wanted to see something cool" so he invited me to come watch him in surgery, and then he let me watch him run a trauma later that day.

Overall, I just liked being in the hospital and I'll definitely be volunteering again this summer.

 

[sully677]

I volunteered this summer at the Vanderbilt Children's ER. It was a super nice facility, but they had strict regulations on what a volunteer could do. I was allowed to clean the toys, and give the kids games or a dvd. I really didn't get to do much, and so I switched to another hospital and ER. I have much more responsibility at my new place. It is a cardiac specialty ER, and I really enjoy it!

 

[docbot]

Yep. Sounds typical. I think it's all about just observing. I volunteer at an ER as well. No one is going to actually give you stuff to do. Sometimes they will, but it's rare. You have to make yourself available, ask questions and make friends with the doctors if at all possible. I do a lot of restocking, getting rooms turned over for new patients, talking with patients who have turned on their nurse call lights, seeing if I can get them anything, water, warm blankets, etc., and hoping that during all this, something interesting will come through that I can watch. Ask if you can watch stuff, cause they're not going to come and get you. If there is a trauma, or something that looks interesting, ask if you can observe. Usually, no one minds. At my ER, we just got an email last week saying that volunteers can no longer escort patients to their rooms from triage or escort them out when they are discharged. I think someone complained on a volunteer. The techs or nurses have to do it now, which sucks, because it takes away about half of what I was doing there. I spent about a half hour wheeling a woman to a far away parking lot while her husband tracked down his car the other day. Usually nurses don't have that kind of time and techs are doing other things, so it's actually bad for the hospital, but what can you do? It's unfortunate that they made this policy because of a complaint. I don't really see how being a hospital employee is going to make you a better escort. But they are probably worried about liability.

 

[jochi1543]

I personally found the ER to be the boringest place on Earth.
1) They don't really let you see much, and I don't blame them for it - last thing the 8 doctors/nurses need when someone is in cardiac arrest is a useless premed in their way
2) there's not much to do in way of changing beds and such, so you definitely feel useless at times
3) the people IN the ER are usually feeling like crap and/or have relatives with them, so you can't really chat them up, and the people in the waiting room are bitter as hell, because they are feeling bad AND are waiting.


Seriously, even flower delivery was more exciting. At least you make people happy! I personally liked same-day surgery and nursing floors the most. In SDS, you are kept really busy - lots of beds to change and patients to discharge, and you can do little things for patients such as get them water, bring their stuff, call in family members, etc - plus you can also go watch the actual surgeries once you've established relationships with the staff in the department. On nursing floors, you are generally doing smth useful by running various errands, and during downtime, you can talk to patients who are lonely and have been staying on the floors for a long time, they usually value company. And they are always happy to tell you about their gruesome diseases.

 

[hyperIris]

I volunteered in ER for 2 years and saw 1 gunshot wound, 2 serious MVAs and a 30 feet fall. Apart from that things were rather smooth at least when I was in ER. No one will give you work..you have to be proactive and ask nurses if you could help them out in anyway. I found shadowing lot more fun and exciting.

 

[shaggybill]

My experience volunteering in an ED over the summer was absolutely boring. I spent very little time in the actual ED. Most of the time I spent milling around the front desk (which was separated from the department) where I'd occasionally (once every hour) be asked to take someone back to Fast Track, which was also separated from the area where all the cool stuff happens. Other than that, my job was making sure the coffee pots were filled. It was a busy ER, so nobody had much time to talk. It got to be where I dreaded going in. Not much in terms of helping me see the real side of medicine. I probably won't go back anymore. The only good thing about it was the free meal ticket.

 

[futuredrcrawfor]

Haven't done ER- Im at a Children's Hospital and I spend most of my time in the school room tutoring patients (or going to pick up patients or introduce services to family members)... and then I go and do child life- that is the best cuz I get to be in patient rooms play games but also here doctors conferences and about half of the patients/families will tell you about the childs medical issues. I love it

Also- I worked at a summer camp for kids with Crohns disease and learned a ton about it from the camp. We had physicians and nurses there all the time and they helped the kids understand what they were going through and the sequence of medicines and surgeries that could be needed.

Next summer I hope to return to the camp or do another camp with another type of disease not sure yet will look at schedule

 

[AnesthesiaMD]

I recently started volunteering up at the Kansas University Hospital ER to see what a medical setting was really like. As I walked in, I felt anxious and nervous, fearing that I'd probably see someone with half a head and doctors running around. I figured I'd just be moving beds, changing sheets and helping move a patient here or there, but apparently they didn't have much need for me. I walked in and the charge nurse told me that he'd hook me up with a med tech and I'd be helping them out all night, so I just stood there for a few minutes. A few minutes turned into 30, just standing there, looking like a collosal douche in my khackis and blue volunteer polo. The rest of the night was kind of like that, as most of the ER staff had little to do but chat. Turns out they were actually talking about how busy it was too.

Really though it was a fun experience getting to talk to some of the nurses and EMTs. I don't know what I expected in the ER, but it was a lot more casual than I thought it'd be. For the most part, about 60% of the staff was just milling around most of the time. Anyone else care to opine on their volunteer shifts?

I used to be a member of what one of the hospitals in my city calls the "A-team" where we basically escort patients/guests to where they need to be in the hospital and/or provide directions. Most of these shifts involves sitting on my @$$ the entire time until someone needs to be walked over to the radiology desk which is literally within sight of the reception desk. Very few times in the 4 hours I was there would I actually get to take somewhere that actually required an escort (since the hospital is quite large). Good thing I've recently moved to the ICU. MUCH more stimulating there.

 

[drlisa0318]

I personally found the ER to be the boringest place on Earth.
1) They don't really let you see much, and I don't blame them for it - last thing the 8 doctors/nurses need when someone is in cardiac arrest is a useless premed in their way
2) there's not much to do in way of changing beds and such, so you definitely feel useless at times
3) the people IN the ER are usually feeling like crap and/or have relatives with them, so you can't really chat them up, and the people in the waiting room are bitter as hell, because they are feeling bad AND are waiting.


Seriously, even flower delivery was more exciting. At least you make people happy! I personally liked same-day surgery and nursing floors the most. In SDS, you are kept really busy - lots of beds to change and patients to discharge, and you can do little things for patients such as get them water, bring their stuff, call in family members, etc - plus you can also go watch the actual surgeries once you've established relationships with the staff in the department. On nursing floors, you are generally doing smth useful by running various errands, and during downtime, you can talk to patients who are lonely and have been staying on the floors for a long time, they usually value company. And they are always happy to tell you about their gruesome diseases.

Are you kidding me?!?! I've been volunteering in a large, busy ED for 2 years now. I'm NEVER bored. I go from room to room, introduce myself, ask if there's anything I can do for them. Just because they're feeling like crap or they've got family with them doesn't mean you can't be helpful to them or bring a smile to their face. They get just as lonely as patients on other floors. Sometimes they've got questions, and since it's easier for me to find the proper doctor/nurse, I'll be the go-between. Everything you say you do on other floors, I do in the ED, with the exception of housekeeping stuff (no loss there). I get to see procedures as well. At any rate, I LOVE it. I'm there for 5-6 hours twice a week. I'm so busy, I never sit down and I rarely have time to chat with the nurses.

 

[jochi1543]

Are you kidding me?!?! I've been volunteering in a large, busy ED for 2 years now. I'm NEVER bored. I go from room to room, introduce myself, ask if there's anything I can do for them.

Hm, most of the people in the ER where I worked were either drunk/beat up or screaming in pain, neither of which was very conducive to conversation.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

I've been volunteering as an EMT for a while now. I get to see all kinds of stuff, and since I am always the first one on the scene I actually get to do stuff. ALso usuallyl when I am at the ER, the doctors have no problem allowing me to watch procedures. I feel its been a very fulfilling experience thus far.

 

[Bacchus]

I'm a volunteer in Penn's ED.

This is what I do:

Chat with the EMTs
Talk to the desk attendants
Transport patients
Help with CTs/xrays
Do stocking
Observe every trauma that comes through the door
Run labs
Run to get blood

Is there something more thrilling I could be doing with my Saturday night? Probably. However I have seen a variety of incidents: car accidents, sports injuries, heart attacks, gun shot wounds, labor and deliveries, drunk people, drugged people, normal aches and pains (its an ER afterall).

I've helped with splinting an ortho injury, I've helped move an OBESE trauma patient that was essentially coding (that was "eye opening"), helped with some sutures, etc. I don't plan on doing essential medical care because I am not certified. The biggest thing I do, besides transport patients to CT and Xray which are in the ED, is talk to patients. Most of them are really nice, but some of them I wouldn't have lost anything by not talking to them.

Some nights its fast paced, then nights like tonight the EMTs and I "compete" for work because nothing is going on. I talk to the staff, nurses, and some doctors. Those that I talk to are very informative. However, I realize the last thing a resident or medical student needs is a premed following them around. When I have questions they are all very helpful in answering. However, I'm not necessary to them, moreso I'm necessary to the EMT and nurses that could be doing better things than getting water or transporting patients.

Its what you make out of it.

 

[drlisa0318]

Hm, most of the people in the ER where I worked were either drunk/beat up or screaming in pain, neither of which was very conducive to conversation.

Wow...what hospital did you volunteer at? Most ED's I've been to or heard about have a fair mix of patients with all kinds of problems. Where I volunteer, we've got 50-60 beds (including beds in the hallways) I think and it's busy pretty much all day every day. Our patients range from infants to septegenerians, rich to poor, highly educated to illiterate, easy to get along with to very belligerent, with chief complaints ranging from runny noses to major traumas. The vast majority of patients and families are grateful that someone cares enough to even ask if they can be of help.

 

[Blade28]

Too bad you guys aren't here.

Whenever I see the pre-med volunteers at the county hospital here (where we get our level 1 trauma), I always try to get them involved. They stand out because of the red vests they're forced to wear.

 

[sunnyskies]

Blade, I think I volunteer at that same hospital in the ER... where are you when I am there?!?! haha

 

[MWK]

I personally found the ER to be the boringest place on Earth.
1) They don't really let you see much, and I don't blame them for it - last thing the 8 doctors/nurses need when someone is in cardiac arrest is a useless premed in their way
2) there's not much to do in way of changing beds and such, so you definitely feel useless at times
3) the people IN the ER are usually feeling like crap and/or have relatives with them, so you can't really chat them up, and the people in the waiting room are bitter as hell, because they are feeling bad AND are waiting.

I disagree. I volunteered Fri and Sat 10p-4a in our Level 1 hospital (IE the busiest times). I had ZERO responsibilities, we werent even allowed to clean. Get to know the doctors, let them know yThursday afternoon wont cut it).

There was always stuff to see and do and a couple of residents took me under their wing. Med students always love showing off their knowledge, so find them. Theres something to be said for the 1 degree of separation rule.

Most of the families were nice, but I didnt really want to chat them up. Do remember that most of them are under serious stress and you walk in to their son who is bleeding out his ears and go "COOL", they wont be too respectful. They know that the undergrad kids are in there primarily to see cool stuff-nobody really wants to see chest pain workups. Just leave the families alone unless they ask you for something.


My ER time was amazing- I got to see 3 or 4 full thoracotomies, lent a hand here and there and even a homeless guy let me suture up his face after Id been there for about 6 months. I was useless the whole time. I was there to learn, not to see somebody yelling CLEAR and STAT!

 

[shaggybill]

Ieven a homeless guy let me suture up his face after Id been there for about 6 months.

That'd be cool as heck, but isn't that a little risky on your part? If something bad had happened, it might not look too good on your record.

 

[Kthanksbye]

That'd be cool as heck, but isn't that a little risky on your part? If something bad had happened, it might not look too good on your record.

Yea, as much as I'd love to practice suturing in the ER, if the wrong social worker saw this, they would report it in a second (some of the people in my ER can be fairly righteous.) I've held legs or arms while a doctor did stuff, but this doctor was clearly taking a risk to allow you to do this.

 

[BKtomodachi]

I've started working at the ER recently as well. I have only worked two nights, and I've already seen a gunshot wound and splintered jaw, due to an aluminum baseball bat to the face.

I would have to say I most enjoy being there for the patients, to "talk at" rather than "talk to", as most of them are stressed, and really just like to bounce ideas off of you. Hopefully I'll get to know some of the doctors/residents a little bit better as time goes by.

 

[Igor4sugry]

Volunteering in ER sucks, go to the OR instead.

 

[patrickd223]

I run samples to the lab, transport patients to ICU, shadow some doctors, get blankets/water, but most time is spent sitting around. Welcome to the real life ER, it is not like TV is it? 😎

 

[Bacchus]

Here's my peeve about the ER, the only thing I don't like at this point in time: The patients that come in "because I'm dying" and take precious triage, registration, and nurse time away from other patients and then decide, "I'll come back later if it gets worse." Not only did you just waste the staff's time, you're making others behind you have to wait longer for no reason. If you can get your "sorry ass" to the ER, then keep it on the bed until you're either fast-tracked, kept for an overnighter, or admitted.

 

[Rotinaj]

Yeah, I feel like as I get more comfortable with the surrounding, I'll just dive right in and start asking people for any help that they need. I figure I can shadow someone while on my shift and just help them out in the future.

 

[Drogba]

Ahaydt are you a penn student?

People that are suggesting nothing is going on in the ED are probably not in level 1 trauma centers, but even at level 1s its not like traumas are coming in every 5 minutes. The level 1 I worked at only saw ~8 traumas a day (these include anything that gets worked on in the trauma bay, not necessarily physical traumas). Many of these are not that severe or interesting.

 

[pakbabydoll]

The ER I volunteer at is in a small city so we hardly ever get any big cases. However our nurses like to talk to and we don't really have a strict volunteer code ( even though we are a magnet hospital) so I always get to put patients on monitors, draw blood ( I have my license) vitals and that kind of stuff. I usually just walk in the room. I don't really care if they ask me to leave ( which they never do). I have done compressions on a patient though once. I have also worked in triage alone ( but like I said most of our patient come in with colds and small cuts and stuff so its no big deal). In fast track once I got to get the pus stuff or whatever its called out of a guy who had staff infection. It helps that I work at the hospital too so most people know me. I love it, I would like to volunteer at a bigger hospital but then again I would not really get to do anything there.

 

[jebus]

I'm a volunteer in Penn's ED.

this looked like something totally different. visions of bob dole and mike ditka came. there was a picture of a football going through a tire swing. cars going into tunnels.

wow. my mind's in the gutter.

carry on.

 

[luv2sd]

my first day of shift, I got to watch a drunken man get chained to the bed because he assaulted one of the nurses and I've seen a guy with a huge cut near his right eye after falling from a skateboard and finally I got to watch a kid who had epistaxis for almost an hour

technically it's illegal to talk about what I've seen or heard in the ER but I'm sure that SDN police will protect my anonymity.

 

[Bacchus]

Ahaydt are you a penn student?

People that are suggesting nothing is going on in the ED are probably not in level 1 trauma centers, but even at level 1s its not like traumas are coming in every 5 minutes. The level 1 I worked at only saw ~8 traumas a day (these include anything that gets worked on in the trauma bay, not necessarily physical traumas). Many of these are not that severe or interesting.

I am not. If you search around you'll probably find out where I go. Any particular reason why you're wondering? 😉 Also, I agree with what you said. This past Saturday from 5-9 p.m. there was only 2 traumas. Its not as crazy as everyone thinks. It seems like the primary amount are patients that are brought in by fire rescue and are turned into trauma responses because the head resident or attending does not like what he or she sees going on.

 

[luv2sd]

Ahaydt are you a penn student?

People that are suggesting nothing is going on in the ED are probably not in level 1 trauma centers, but even at level 1s its not like traumas are coming in every 5 minutes. The level 1 I worked at only saw ~8 traumas a day (these include anything that gets worked on in the trauma bay, not necessarily physical traumas). Many of these are not that severe or interesting.

almost sounds like you want some tragedies to happen so you can watch and learn lol

 

[Concubine]

I recently started volunteering up at the Kansas University Hospital ER to see what a medical setting was really like. As I walked in, I felt anxious and nervous, fearing that I'd probably see someone with half a head and doctors running around. I figured I'd just be moving beds, changing sheets and helping move a patient here or there, but apparently they didn't have much need for me. I walked in and the charge nurse told me that he'd hook me up with a med tech and I'd be helping them out all night, so I just stood there for a few minutes. A few minutes turned into 30, just standing there, looking like a collosal douche in my khackis and blue volunteer polo. The rest of the night was kind of like that, as most of the ER staff had little to do but chat. Turns out they were actually talking about how busy it was too.

Really though it was a fun experience getting to talk to some of the nurses and EMTs. I don't know what I expected in the ER, but it was a lot more casual than I thought it'd be. For the most part, about 60% of the staff was just milling around most of the time. Anyone else care to opine on their volunteer shifts?

Mine mirrored yours. I too was excited, but after putting around 80 hours of volunteering at the ER, it is now quite boring. I can't do any of the things that I really WANT to do. For example, the other day one of the nurses told me to go take out an I.V. It sucked telling her that I can't do it even though I know how. The only reason I volunteered at the ER was to get clinical exposure, your ability to actually help people while doing something fun is not in your job description. I guess it's back to stocking supplies, refilling I.V. trays, chit chat, and an occasional "seeing something neat".

 

[Bacchus]

almost sounds like you want some tragedies to happen so you can watch and learn lol

You learn quickly that you can think that, but that you shouldn't mention it. The EMTs like the light workload, there is more order, and people are safe, rather than dying, which is a good thing, until the trauma comes rolling through the door. The moment I start to "salivate" is when I'm on the way to the bloodbank. Until then, I keep my "hopes and dreams" to myself because otherwise its a bit morbid, wishing disaster on people. Its the same way with codes. I'm never going to see a defibrillator used, I'm sure, even though I want to hear "Clear!" everytime one is used for telemetry monitoring when moving a patient to another floor.

 

[sunsfan]

If you want to really do stuff and be of actual help to the staff, volunteer in a big city's general hospital and choose an afternoon or evening shift. If the hospital is also a trauma center, you'll get quite a lot of action.
My experience: I got to do compressions once. I often help restrain struggling bloodied or drugged patients so nurses can do their thing to them. Calm down patients who are upset / threatening violence. I watch as the CT/ MRI is taken. Apply pressure while the doctor closes up the suture. The list goes on and on.
I tried volunteering in a private hospital before and I was bored to death. Not anymore now that I go to a big public hospital with a trauma center.

 

[Blade28]

Blade, I think I volunteer at that same hospital in the ER... where are you when I am there?!?! haha

Oh yeah? When are you there? I've been at Emory a lot this year (doing research) so haven't wandered down there in a while.

You should have been there last summer, when I was taking a bunch of pre-meds (one at a time) to help me with suturing, chest tubes, etc. 🙂

 

[Kthanksbye]

almost sounds like you want some tragedies to happen so you can watch and learn lol

This is tripe. I'm going to assume you are joking, because if you're not, then you're being very righteous. It's actually a criticism I hear a lot at my ER. The unavoidable fact is that I AM there to see trauma of all kinds. I do not "wish" it on anyone, and I am not the one who shot them or rolled their car. But it is a good day when I get to see something like this at the ER. Such is the nature of the beast. How else am I to learn?

 

[Kthanksbye]

Oh yeah? When are you there? I've been at Emory a lot this year (doing research) so haven't wandered down there in a while.

You should have been there last summer, when I was taking a bunch of pre-meds (one at a time) to help me with suturing, chest tubes, etc. 🙂

I wish there was a resident like you at my hospital!

 

[jr doctor in sd]

I recently started volunteering up at the Kansas University Hospital ER to see what a medical setting was really like. As I walked in, I felt anxious and nervous, fearing that I'd probably see someone with half a head and doctors running around. I figured I'd just be moving beds, changing sheets and helping move a patient here or there, but apparently they didn't have much need for me. I walked in and the charge nurse told me that he'd hook me up with a med tech and I'd be helping them out all night, so I just stood there for a few minutes. A few minutes turned into 30, just standing there, looking like a collosal douche in my khackis and blue volunteer polo. The rest of the night was kind of like that, as most of the ER staff had little to do but chat. Turns out they were actually talking about how busy it was too.

Really though it was a fun experience getting to talk to some of the nurses and EMTs. I don't know what I expected in the ER, but it was a lot more casual than I thought it'd be. For the most part, about 60% of the staff was just milling around most of the time. Anyone else care to opine on their volunteer shifts?

lmao! And i mean that in the nicest way possible...it took me like 4-5 months of volunteering to realize i was never gonna wear my ugly blinding-green/teal volunteer polo again. Now i just rock the khakhis and usually a plain white hollister polo. My friend just started doing ER volunteering a few months ago and like you anticipated heart-racing emergencies and constant action...and he came back telling me he got to sit and stamp papers while emergencies happened and it wasnt much fun at all!

Personally, I volunteer at the Cancer Center and have a great time when i go. I get the patients on chemo and other random meds blankets since alot of them get really cold on the medication and theyre so grateful it's really cute (yes, im a heterosexual male and said cute) actually. I of course have the part that kind of makes me feel like im more of a waiter and not a pre-med when they ask me to go and fetch beverages and crackers...but then that's pretty rewarding too since if you werent there, the patients would not be able to get up and get anything for themselves since most are elderly and really needing help. So overall, im definitely glad to do it =].

Then there's the fun parts...which include taking vitals. It's so humbling because I have spoken to all kinds of people from every background (homeless immigrants all the way to some really important professor at the school of medicine at my university (of course he only had a few spare minutes until he was on his phone or emailing people haha)).

Also, our staff is amazing - its almost all female (niiice) and theyre all grateful to volunteers since you make their jobs easier. So at the end of the day, I go home tired (its alot of work and im always running around n never stationary which is less boring anyways) but im definitely content in that I got to help people and chat with some that would have been there all alone and had no one to just talk to them and make them feel better for a little while 🙂. Definitely one of the highlights of my entire college experience so far...ok ill stop ranting now haha. 👍

Go volunteers!

 

[luv2sd]

This is tripe. I'm going to assume you are joking, because if you're not, than you're being very righteous. It's actually a criticism I hear a lot at my ER. The unavoidable fact is that I AM there to see trauma of all kinds. I do not "wish" it on anyone, and I am not the one who shot them or rolled their car. But it is a good day when I get to see something like this at the ER. Such is the nature of the beast. How else am I to learn?

yes, I was joking
I wish for the very same thing when I work in the ER

 

[Kthanksbye]

yes, I was joking
I wish for the very same thing when I work in the ER

Thought so. 😉 Every time I start talking about something cool I saw at the ER or say something like, "I'm off to the ER, maybe there'll be a trauma today!" I get this same silly lecture. "That's horrible to wish on someone!" I did not decide to go into medicine because I am a sadist, nor do I wish pain and suffering on people. But you can't help them if you've never seen it. And frankly, it's pretty cool to see a doctor trying to save someone from a pierced ventricle by cracking their chest. (I missed that day and I was sad). I also wasn't there on the day they had the emergency C-section right in the trauma room. I was sad about that, too. As a matter of fact, it seems all the cool stuff happens on days I'm not there!

 

[luv2sd]

Thought so. 😉 Every time I start talking about something cool I saw at the ER or say something like, "I'm off to the ER, maybe there'll be a trauma today!" I get this same silly lecture. "That's horrible to wish on someone!" I did not decide to go into medicine because I am a sadist, nor do I wish pain and suffering on people. But you can't help them if you've never seen it. And frankly, it's pretty cool to see a doctor trying to save someone from a pierced ventricle by cracking their chest. (I missed that day and I was sad). I also wasn't there on the day they had the emergency C-section right in the trauma room. I was sad about that, too. As a matter of fact, it seems all the cool stuff happens on days I'm not there!

someday you will see a patient walking into the ER with a plucked eye like I did. at the time, I wasn't thinking about raising fund for this poor guy's prosthetic eye.