paeds day 1

i started my emergency paeds rotation yesterday. it was a 3pm-midnight shift, and i've been a bit anxious about this because i'm quite awkward around kids. unfortunately, kids know when people are uncomfortable- you just can't fool them.

ED was so busy! i had no idea who all my team members were, and also very little idea of how to do specific Paediatric history+examination. in fact, my paediatric textbook hadn't arrived in the mail yet, so i was using this book i borrowed from the library called "Paediatric Secrets". i think the idea is that there is a pool of questions that students are frequently asked. i'd gone to my shift armed only with 282 "secrets".

the other student also had no idea what we were supposed to do. she said that her plan was to stand around until somebody noticed and assigned us a task. i was more cynical, and my brilliant idea was to tag along with a registrar and just observe for awhile.

that's what i did, until the consultant spotted me and said that he needed all of the doctors to be working very hard, because ED was so busy. and so would i be comfortable seeing patients on my own?

of course i said yes.

for the next couple of hours, he would assign me a patient, i'd clerk and examine them, and then i'd present to him. by 1930hrs, i'd seen 7 patients, and i asked for a dinner break. i didn't really want to eat alone, so i drove home... and the rest is history. i felt acutely grateful for the comforts of home- a chair, food, time, the option of panadol for my budding headache. in fact, i was so comfortable that i couldn't bring myself to go back to hospital.

paeds day 1- epic fail.

13/9/10 update: in fact my registrar did note my absence. our conversation the following day-
M: you told me you were supposed to stay until 12 yesterday, but you left after dinner?
O: oh yeah! yeah M you know i really wanted to... but i was just too tired!
RMO (passing by): *conspicuous laughter*