Likes, Dislikes, & Physicians

To start, my favorite part of working in the surgical department was getting to talk to patients. When I roomed someone, I usually ended up talking with them about how they ended up at our hospital. Some were there because it was the closest hospital to home. Others were there because no other hospitals in the area performed the surgery they needed. An older women had to fly from Mississippi because the doctors in her state couldn't remove a shunt that had been placed the summer before in an emergency surgery while visiting Minnesota. Another patient had been battling cancer since she was a young teen. She had been staying in the hospital sponsored housing with her family for over a month because she was from Michigan and this was one of the only hospitals in the nation who performed the procedure she needed. What was so surprising was to hear how many other patients had similar stories. It was such an amazing experience to sit down with patients and to learn about their experiences. They made me realize how lucky I am to have a healthy family and also gave me a new perspective about our University and how we are treating people who maybe wouldn't get treatment otherwise.

While there were many. many positive aspects of my job that I couldn't possibly have time to discuss, there were only a handful of parts I didn't like. The thing I dislike the most was how patients and their families could be very rude and demeaning. While this may be understandable because they are having surgery or are worried about a loved one undergoing surgery, there were many more patients who were very understanding about the surgical process and all it's ups and downs. I once had a patient tell me he had been waiting for over 20 minutes in his room and no nurse had been into see him yet. When I explained we were understaffed and that it shouldn't be too much longer before a nurse was available, he exclaimed, "Well my surgery is scheduled to start in 45 minutes so I better be ready by then!" Situations like these taught me how to act under pressure. All you can really do is take a deep breath, apologize, and ask if we can do anything to make them comfortable while they are waiting. While these moments were frustrating at the time, they still taught me a lot and I'm happy to say that I only had several such moment during my year with the department. The good experiences far outweigh the bad.

I learned several things about being a physician from the experience. 1) I've learned that some surgeons can handle cutting open a patient, but they can't handle vomit or other bodily discharges. I once saw a surgeon almost run out of a room after a patient accidentally defecated. I think the best part was the surgeon shouting reassurances and a future meeting time over his shoulder as he was power walking out. I'm very grateful for my experience as a CNA since I will be ready for anything once I start medical school. 2) I've learned that some of the best physicians to talk to are the older ones. They have a lot of knowledge and experience which makes them excellent advice givers. They may seem intimidating but they are usually the ones who are the most relaxed and confident in their roles and therefore don't have as much ego as some of the younger residents. 3) Doctors get to tell some patients they are going to live (which is great!) but they also have to deliver horrible news to family members if a routine surgery goes wrong. I cannot imagine being in their shoes because I would have no idea how to convey the depth of my sympathy. I feel that any attempt to would just come out sounding insincere. I have no idea how they do it, but it is something I do not envy them. 4) Finally, I've learned that if I do become a physician, I will not treat the medical team members below me badly. While the majority of the surgeons were awesome, there were some that were rude and snapped orders instead of asking. I feel there is nothing worse than treating the people under you badly just because you make more or have more education compared to them. While I cannot do a physician's job yet, they sure can't do their own plus everyone else's job. I've learned that treating patients is a team effort and no one person can do it all on their own.