Surgery... I'm can't keep my eyes open and it's 9pm

[ddmo]

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I'm doing a program this summer where I round on the different surgical services while doing surgical research. I get up at 4-4:30am to round at 5:30am. I don't think I have ever been so tired at 9pm. I've now been up for 15hrs. It is actually kind of sweet, I feel like I get so much more out of my day. Anyone else felt this way?

Those IMers think they have us beat with their 8am rounds, but they don't realize that rounds is just what the surgical services get through in order to get to the fun part of the day... the OR.

 

[ddmo]

Ok, I spelled the title wrong... even more appropriate.

And this is my 500th post, wooohooo!!!!!!!

 

[quideam]

ummm...... wow.

 

[greets fr. nyc]

get used to it..... that's what third year medcial school on surgery and ob-gyn are like.
*grin*
...or perhaps how about 3-4 YEARS of this as a surgical resident? (usually the chief resident in 5th year doesn't have to wake up as early)


may i recommend, eu de red bull?
and/or don't forget to drink fluids, eat food --> keep blood volume & glucose levels UP!


hang in there.

 

[Smurfette]

Wow...you get up at 4-4:30 and don't round until 5:30? Nice. Try going into the hospital to preround and write notes on all your patients at 3:30 am for rounds starting at 5.

I've heard occasional rumors of the med student arriving before 3 am...now that's CRAZY!!!

 

[Paws]

Great! I can't wait until surgery roation. I love to get up really early and this past year realized that there was no reason not to do it. I would go to bed at 8:00 pm and be up at 4:00 am. Man! I loved it and I got a ton of work done by the time class came around at 9:00 am. I love to watch the sun come up, too.

👍

 

[Gimlet]

This may be a stupid question, but are you interacting with patients when you pre-round on them at 3:30am, or are you just checking labs and whatnot? If you are bothering patients that early in the morning, I'm wondering how often you have to dodge the lamps and flower vases that must get chucked at your head for waking someone up at such an ungodly hour!

 

[labangel]

This is nothin'....wait until you have a crazy night on call and realize that you've been awake and working for 32 straight hours! God, I'm glad trauma is over 😀

 

[doc05]

This may be a stupid question, but are you interacting with patients when you pre-round on them at 3:30am, or are you just checking labs and whatnot? If you are bothering patients that early in the morning, I'm wondering how often you have to dodge the lamps and flower vases that must get chucked at your head for waking someone up at such an ungodly hour!

nonsense. it's not a hotel, it's a hospital. If you need to wake the patient to examine him, you do just that.

Have you ever been a hospital inpatient? It's pretty much impossible to sleep anyway.

 

[greets fr. nyc]

nonsense. it's not a hotel, it's a hospital. If you need to wake the patient to examine him, you do just that.

Have you ever been a hospital inpatient? It's pretty much impossible to sleep anyway.

absolutely right.

however, you realize that's one of the fundamental reasons why hospitals are NOT at place really to heal in the full sense of the word.
No sleep for the weary, so they say.... (unless you are a VIP with a flat screen tv and fake wood on the floor and a corner view).

any third year+ knows this. Hospitals are where you get stabilized, get whatever diagnostic workup you need and what ever initial tx you need... to get you "discharged," not healed.

come to think about it, i don't even think i've ever really used the word "healed" in the ward setting before.

to social worker, "I think Mr XY is going to be ready to be discharged in three days."

or

"Ms. XX's fever has gone down <sure, she's demented, has a peg tube, has contractions, still has MRSA>,and I think she's a great candidate to be d/c'ed to the nursing home, tomorrow."


hmmmm......

 

[Gimlet]

nonsense. it's not a hotel, it's a hospital. If you need to wake the patient to examine him, you do just that.

Have you ever been a hospital inpatient? It's pretty much impossible to sleep anyway.

Actually, now that I think about it, I did get woken up quite a bit when I had my appendix taken out. I totally understand the need to bother patients at night, but I think it will take me a while to not feel bad for waking them up. So what strategy do you guys employ to wake up patients? Is it a gentle shake and softly calling their name, or do you just burst in to their room banging on a pot with a spoon? 😀