Hope for the future in freshly scrubbed faces
Today at work I saw two young medical students, eagerly waiting outside a patients room. As part of a class, they were required to do focused examinations on a number of patients in our ED. I was not happy when I heard about this ...one more thing to delay our patients length of stay.
Something about their blond, scrubbed faced eagerness, and their new stiff white lab coats, maybe being worn for the first time, made me stop and inquire "Are you the med students who are here to do some patient assessments?" I tried not to sound like a bitchy old nurse.
They nodded and seemed happy to have someone friendly and non-threatening to talk to. They hadn't gotten to the class yet that seems to teach arrogance.
"We're first years" one said apologetically. They told me their names and that they were from Idaho. I told them who I was and about my son Dan, who is in medical school in Illinois - freshly scrubbed but yet to get that lab coat. We talked a bit about anatomy class and cutting up cadavers and I shared with them that I only got to cut up dead cats in my anatomy class. They let me know that formaldehyde was no longer used and that some sort of glycol was used that didn't smell as bad. They were excited, eager, and not yet part of the politics of medical care. There was a lot in store ahead of them and I was envious for a moment.
As I walked away, I wished them well. "I will probably see you again sometime if you do an internship here," I mentioned. Then I couldn't resist....I had to give them some advice.
"Be nice to the nurses". I said. "Because a nurse will save your butt (I didn't say "Ass" because they looked so innocent and were from Idaho) many times in your career!
They smiled at me and one of them said "That's what my dad told me".
As I went back to my office, I knew that I had saved a few doc asses in my career too. Likewise, doctors had saved mine. But mostly, together we had saved patients or made their dying easier, and that is what it is about - not about being better - or smarter.
These wide eyed innocent boys would be part of the future of health care someday and who knows what new technology will exist and how many lives they will save and how many that they won't be able to save. We all have to work better together though and get rid of the "us and them, doctor versus nurse" mentality and get back to the basics - taking care of people who need us. We have to start treating each other with respect. I know that nurses can be demeaning and cruel, just like some doctors.
Maybe I can help by being kind to medical students, not because my son is one, but because it is the right thing to do.
Something about their blond, scrubbed faced eagerness, and their new stiff white lab coats, maybe being worn for the first time, made me stop and inquire "Are you the med students who are here to do some patient assessments?" I tried not to sound like a bitchy old nurse.
They nodded and seemed happy to have someone friendly and non-threatening to talk to. They hadn't gotten to the class yet that seems to teach arrogance.
"We're first years" one said apologetically. They told me their names and that they were from Idaho. I told them who I was and about my son Dan, who is in medical school in Illinois - freshly scrubbed but yet to get that lab coat. We talked a bit about anatomy class and cutting up cadavers and I shared with them that I only got to cut up dead cats in my anatomy class. They let me know that formaldehyde was no longer used and that some sort of glycol was used that didn't smell as bad. They were excited, eager, and not yet part of the politics of medical care. There was a lot in store ahead of them and I was envious for a moment.
As I walked away, I wished them well. "I will probably see you again sometime if you do an internship here," I mentioned. Then I couldn't resist....I had to give them some advice.
"Be nice to the nurses". I said. "Because a nurse will save your butt (I didn't say "Ass" because they looked so innocent and were from Idaho) many times in your career!
They smiled at me and one of them said "That's what my dad told me".
As I went back to my office, I knew that I had saved a few doc asses in my career too. Likewise, doctors had saved mine. But mostly, together we had saved patients or made their dying easier, and that is what it is about - not about being better - or smarter.
These wide eyed innocent boys would be part of the future of health care someday and who knows what new technology will exist and how many lives they will save and how many that they won't be able to save. We all have to work better together though and get rid of the "us and them, doctor versus nurse" mentality and get back to the basics - taking care of people who need us. We have to start treating each other with respect. I know that nurses can be demeaning and cruel, just like some doctors.
Maybe I can help by being kind to medical students, not because my son is one, but because it is the right thing to do.
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