Working in the hospital

As part of the introduction to Core Clinical Education that all second-years will be starting in the New Year, we have been spending each Monday at our respective hospitals completing several different orientation tasks. Students in our cohort are assigned to either UHCW (University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire), Warwick Hospital or to George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton. It has been fascinating to see how hospitals work, and this extended orientation session has had the very welcome effect of showing us not just how doctors do their jobs, but how all teams work together to make the process of healing, treatment and management as therapeutic for each patient as possible, whilst working with finite and closely-managed resources.

Students at my hospital are given multiple different tasks to complete over the term; these include bedside-teaching sessions (practicing taking histories and performing examinations), mandatory orientation sessions (such as introduction to outpatient services) and some optional sessions that we chose before starting. The purpose of these tasks is to ensure that students develop respect and appreciation for all members of every team, and see how the many, varied cogs of each ward’s wheels fit so nicely together.

One of my morning placements was in the operating theatre, the purpose of which was to observe several operations and see how the team members’ tasks complemented one another. I had the privilege of witnessing three relatively routine procedures take place back-to-back and watch the progression of each from start-to-finish. Each of these procedures required the patients to be given general anaesthetic, and I was present for the entire process. I watched the anaesthetist and the ODP (Operating Department Practitioner) prepare the drugs, was present when the (conscious and alert) patient was wheeled in, and observed everything from that point forward.

I once watched a documentary about a Formula-1 pit-stop crew; the stops were so tightly choreographed that each team member had certain spots where they could place their feet so that they did not get in the way of anyone else. The amount of precision and professionalism in this operating-theatre team was not far off of that. Every task was completed efficiently and quickly, and with minimal disruption to the patient’s wellbeing. And this was the most impressive and best part of it all: the patients are so vulnerable and so trusting of their medical professionals. Each was literally unconscious, and yet no doubt entered anyone’s mind that each would be given anything but the most dignified and respectful treatment possible - and so they were. It made me proud to be part of a service which takes its duties so seriously, and in which the absolute highest standard of care is not merely something to be aspired to, it is something which is actively practiced and expected.

John

Megan Earle : 04 Dec 2015 09:02 |  Tags: Hospital John Mbchb Student Surgery Warwick Wms |  Comments (0) |  Report a problem