New Media Medicine - View Single Post

M Clayton · 21-04-2008, 11:51 PM

Anaesthetics continues to be great, in general, although some of the theatre staff can be "difficult". Friday afternoon was an excellent example of the hysteria that can afflict normally sensible people when they perceive a potential injustice...

It was a normal afternoon in acute theatres with a steady trickle of relatively minor surgical cases finding their way through the anaesthetic room and into the hands of the surgeons. We'd had no surprises and no real difficulties and another routine laparoscopy +/_ proceed had been added to the list. I pre-assessed a young lady that the gynaecologists had seen - they were querying an ectopic pregnancy but they didn't seem convinced and the young lady was definitely far too well in my book. I planned for a simple GA with cuffed ET Tube and consented her accordingly.

So far, so good.

I popped back up to theatre and discussed the case with the reg supervising me who agreed with the plan and asked me to send for the patient. I had a quick chat with the rest of the theatre staff to make sure they were all ready and it seemed that we were good to go. As I was about to send for the patient, the acute theatre co-ordinator blustered into the anaesthetic room and demanded to know which of us was going to leave the room when the patient arrived.

When I asked what she meant, she explained that 3 men was too many given the "delicate nature" of the presenting complaint! The ODP wasn't going anywhere since it's his job to assist the anaesthetist and the reg wasn't going anywhere, since it was his list. That left me, a qualified doctor that had pre-assessed and consented the patient (in fact, the only person present who'd actually met and spoken to the patient!) to be thrown out.

Very frustrating indeed but there didn't seem much point in arguing. It's too early in the game to be making enemies of theatre staff even when they're clearly being ludicrous.

In other, exciting news, I got my first choice F2 rotation - Acute Medical Unit, Elderly Care and Paediatrics in Hull! Woo! Time to hunt for a flat I think.....

<hunting>

Apartment 1, 2nd Star on the Right and Straight on til Morning, The Land of Green Ginger

What a fantastic address! I must have it!!!

21-04-2008, 11:51 PM	#391 (permalink)
M Clayton Moderator type bloke Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Hull Posts: 3,285	Anaesthetics continues to be great, in general, although some of the theatre staff can be "difficult". Friday afternoon was an excellent example of the hysteria that can afflict normally sensible people when they perceive a potential injustice... It was a normal afternoon in acute theatres with a steady trickle of relatively minor surgical cases finding their way through the anaesthetic room and into the hands of the surgeons. We'd had no surprises and no real difficulties and another routine laparoscopy +/_ proceed had been added to the list. I pre-assessed a young lady that the gynaecologists had seen - they were querying an ectopic pregnancy but they didn't seem convinced and the young lady was definitely far too well in my book. I planned for a simple GA with cuffed ET Tube and consented her accordingly. So far, so good. I popped back up to theatre and discussed the case with the reg supervising me who agreed with the plan and asked me to send for the patient. I had a quick chat with the rest of the theatre staff to make sure they were all ready and it seemed that we were good to go. As I was about to send for the patient, the acute theatre co-ordinator blustered into the anaesthetic room and demanded to know which of us was going to leave the room when the patient arrived. When I asked what she meant, she explained that 3 men was too many given the "delicate nature" of the presenting complaint! The ODP wasn't going anywhere since it's his job to assist the anaesthetist and the reg wasn't going anywhere, since it was his list. That left me, a qualified doctor that had pre-assessed and consented the patient (in fact, the only person present who'd actually met and spoken to the patient!) to be thrown out. Very frustrating indeed but there didn't seem much point in arguing. It's too early in the game to be making enemies of theatre staff even when they're clearly being ludicrous. In other, exciting news, I got my first choice F2 rotation - Acute Medical Unit, Elderly Care and Paediatrics in Hull! Woo! Time to hunt for a flat I think..... <hunting> Apartment 1, 2nd Star on the Right and Straight on til Morning, The Land of Green Ginger What a fantastic address! I must have it!!! __________________ Mark F2 SHO, Hull & East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust Currently I am a... Care of the Elderly SHO Last edited by M Clayton; 22-04-2008 at 12:10 AM.