Suture Anxiety

[Mr. McDuck]

Okay, this isn't a question of how to suture. I already know how to suture. What I want to know is if anyone else gets all jittery when they get to suture, and how they get over it. I've closed a bunch of times, and each time it's looked really good--I've been complimented by attendings on my subcuticular closures, so I know I'm doing it somewhat correctly .

However, just about everytime I go to suture, my heart starts to race and I get all jittery . I don't know if it's because I'm the only one in there (the attending usually leaves) or what, but it seems to happen everytime. It doesn't seem to be affecting my performance, I just want to get over it (it's a bit of a vanity thing too; people watching probably think I'm wetting myself).

Does anyone else get like this?

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[sophiejane]

I freaked the first time. And the second. And the third. I even freaked when I was left with the scrub nurse to "close" a patient after the surgeon had left the OR (it was just a few little lap chole holes, but I still freaked)....

By the end of third year I could sew up a little kid with his mother glaring at me and do okay. At least okay enough not to shake so hard I dropped the forceps...

OB is great for suture practice. Mom is usually totally distracted by baby and family and has an epidural, so you can take your time. I learned a lot doing episiotomy/lac repairs on OB. If the residents are hesitant, just keep bugging them till they let you do it.

Just power through it and do it as much as you possibly can, under as stressful conditions as possible to desensitize yourself. Take lots of deep breaths and try to focus on the wound and not the fact that there is a live person there. Sounds harsh but it worked for me.

 

[Mr. McDuck]

I freaked the first time. And the second. And the third. I even freaked when I was left with the scrub nurse to "close" a patient after the surgeon had left the OR (it was just a few little lap chole holes, but I still freaked)....

By the end of third year I could sew up a little kid with his mother glaring at me and do okay. At least okay enough not to shake so hard I dropped the forceps...

OB is great for suture practice. Mom is usually totally distracted by baby and family and has an epidural, so you can take your time. I learned a lot doing episiotomy/lac repairs on OB. If the residents are hesitant, just keep bugging them till they let you do it.

Just power through it and do it as much as you possibly can. Everyone has been there....

That's funny, because I closed a few lap chole holes today with just the scrub nurse and a few RNs watching me, and I shook worse than when I closed a Fem-Fem cutdown with the attending glaring at me. The docs don't really even ask me anymore, they just kind of leave the room and expect me to do it. I dunno if that means they trust me or what, but I appreciate the opportunity. I love suturing, it just fries my nerves.

I guess I just have to keep doing it over and over again until the jitters go away. I'll have one or two chances tomorrow, so we'll see.

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

I do a lot of practice on animals that are either dead, or under anesthesia, and I still get jittery.

im sure its going to be real fun when Im a third year

 

[Mr. McDuck]

Bah, the first time I got to suture was a knee fusion patient that didn't want staples, so he got a ton of silk stitches. I think I put in 7 stitches in the same amount of time it took the attending to put in about 25. But that was skin stitches. I don't really get as jittery doing those. It's mostly the subcuticular stitches. I guess I think they should look better or something.

 

[sophiejane]

That's funny, because I closed a few lap chole holes today with just the scrub nurse and a few RNs watching me, and I shook worse than when I closed a Fem-Fem cutdown with the attending glaring at me.

Isn't that funny? I think I was nervous because I knew everyone wanted to get out of there and I was so....freaking.....slow.....!



It's a compliment that they leave the room, by the way. Strong work.

 

[Mr. McDuck]

Thanks! I figured it was because they trusted me. Yeah, they were all staring at me, and I'm like JESUS. One of the RNs, whom I'm friendly with, said, "Come on, you're killin me here!" I almost died. Luckily, the nice CRNA told me to take my time and sedated the patient a little (she had started to buck!).

 

[Mr. McDuck]

Today I got to make 2 incisions and close 3 wounds. I thought I was gonna crap my pants the first time I got handed the knife, but I didn't get nervous at all. I wasn't jittery while suturing either. I just focused and did it. Yay.

 

[sophiejane]

Yea!

Good for you. Keep up the good stitchin'....

 

[sophiejane]

I almost died. Luckily, the nice CRNA told me to take my time and sedated the patient a little (she had started to buck!).

Well, a bucking patient would certainly test how steady your hand is...though maybe not so good for the patient, after all...

 

[Mr. McDuck]

Haha. Oddly enough, the hole I closed while she was bucking looked better than the one I did when she wasn't.

 

[JayZee]