Saturday, May 31, 2008

I think I'm gonna like it here

Pt. came in c/o of severe vag bleeding over the past 2 months or so. Was feeling weak, nauseous and generally "ill". ER doc talked to OB and had pt. put on their list. She was going to be admitted to OB.

As I am still orienting, I asked my preceptor "C" for help as I was about to go into the pts. room. As I was about to enter, a lady walked out and in passing told me, "Oh, her pads were soaked. So I cleaned her up a bit and changed her".

As I'm setting up supplies to draw more blood for lab work, I casually asked C "So, who was that?"
"Dr. O. She's an OB attending".

*Blink Blink*

"Did you say attending?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Nothing", I stammered; "I'm just not used to having docs - especially attendings - clean up patients... I guess".
C shrugged her shoulders, "It's different down here".


I guess it is. I think I might actually like working here...

Speaking of different and cleaning people up, The Chief Complaint of the day award goes to:

"Soiled himself. Here to be cleaned up".

No, it wasn't my patient and I wish I had the time to look up further details [or not. HIPAA violation, non?]- but that really was the "Chief Complaint" as entered by the triage nurse into the system.

And no, I'm not making that up...

2 comments:

Crusty said...

Hey Spook, thanks for checking out my blog and leaving comments. I especially like your "Reap as You Sow" entry, as you might imagine. Here in Houston, we have county hospitals, paid for by county property taxes. We already have socialized medicine. And if there's any wonder what socialized medicine would look like in the U.S., just come take a look at these cesspools, which we call hospitals.

--Crusty Ambulance Driver

EE said...

Lovely.