shifting dullness

yesterday, a friend and i were lingering in the corridor discussing whether or not we should just go home (it was ~2:15pm) or try to see another patient, when a reg came up to us and said, "excuse me, are you students?". a quick glance around revealed to me that i was standing close to the fire doors. i casually moved over, then glanced back to see if i was still in trouble. he was still looking at us.

"uh, yes..?"

"if you have time, i need some assistance a procedure. can you help me?" er, yes! hello! so we rushed off. i'm not really sure what he meant by assistance, because all he really needed me to do was open for him when he was gowned up, but he talked us through the procedure (an ascitic tap), and let us examine the patient for shifting dullness.

it was pretty cool, but what i really wanted to learn was how to secure a drain (with sutures), and to my great disappointment, medical registrars secure them with a combination of gauze and tegaderm. i'm not kidding. it was just like, stick stick stick stick stick "okay it's not stitched in so try not to move!"

it's a little bit strange that for the past month of my respiratory term there has been no pleural tap in sight, but a passing reg led to an ascitic tap. i still think a chest drain would be cooler, though. apparently there was one this morning- my reg later said "oh, i should have called you".

thanks. you should have!!!