Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Your first day as a doctor

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Reply 480

GodspeedGehenna

Original post by No Future

He has been stalking you since Oct 2007

And you since June 04.

Reply 481

No Future

Original post by GodspeedGehenna

And you since June 04.

Maybe Subcutaneous has come back to haunt us?

Reply 482

Tech

Original post by electricjon

A useful mnemonic to use when approaching such a situation is SPIES:

Seek info: what is the problem?
Patient safety: how can you protect patients?
Initiative: what can you do yourself first?
Escalate: involve other colleagues as needed
Support: what support can you provide her, as a friend/colleague/doctor?

Very useful thanks :smile:

Just out of curiosity, how would you think things would be different if, say, after the second patient she hadn't snapped at you, and had agreed to go home?

She still would have risked patient safety and who is to say it couldn't happen again when she was on her own... so I would feel obliged to bring it up with the consultant, but would that be overly harsh?

Reply 483

electricjon

Original post by Tech

Very useful thanks :smile:

If she agreed to go home after making one mistake, I would be happy to leave it at that. I'm assuming that by this stage I wouldn't have known about her drugs/alcohol/reckless partying, so I'd have no reason to suspect her of foul play and would let my friendship with her allow a certain level of discretion. Each to their own though. What I have presented is a dangerous extreme. The scenario you suggest would be more difficult.

Incidentally, this case, unlike the other five, is entirely fictional and not based on personal experience, but it remains a common ethical situation to be encountered in finals/postgraduate exams/job interviews.

Reply 484

Bellrosk

Excellent post OP, I'm not a medic (or have any interest in the field whatsoever) but this was an incredibly interesting post.

Reply 485

heyhey922

1. Buy TARDIS
2. Buy Sonic Screwdriver
3. ?????
4. Profit

Reply 486

Smilingsam

Call house he will sort it our, or shove a bottle of JD down there throat and send them on their way :biggrin:

Reply 487

Helenia

Original post by nexttime

What would her responsibilities in theatre be? I assume superiors will be around - are they around already?

As a surgical reg, it's quite likely she'll be the principal surgeon on a weekend emergency list unless something catastrophic comes in.

Out of interest, once everyone here has sent home the surgical reg, what are you going to do if you need a senior opinion or someone needs to go to theatre urgently?

Reply 488

electricjon

Then it's down to the consultant to save the day.

Reply 489

junior.doctor

Case 5 happened to a mate of mine - we were awaiting graduation and she'd flown off somewhere, and the call went out. Likewise she explained that she was a nearly-doctor but that on paper she wasn't qualified. In her case, the cabin crew were very reluctant to give her the drug box and they did actually manage to get a doctor on the phone ( I can't remember where from, it was a few years ago now, but I'm pretty sure that it was someone who was on-call for the UK airport or had a definite connection and was partly there for that purpose). Her patient had what looked like beginnings of DKA and dehydration secondary to gastroenteritis and was vomiting ++. My mate did an initial ABC / history / examination and then talked it through with the medic on the ground who ok'd the opening of the drug box.

Reply 490

electricjon

Interesting. I'd actually been qualified for nearly 2 years when it happened to me. In fact, of the 4 flights I took, there were emergencies on 3 of them! Rather strangely, I was reading Holiday SOS by Ben Macfarlane at the time (a book about the life of a flying doctor), when Case 5 happened. The other 2 emergencies were just people who had vasovagal syncope episodes (fainting) and so I didn't really need to do much, but each time I still got upgraded to first class and given loads of free stuff!

From speaking to colleagues who have also heard callouts onboard planes, I find it shocking how many people ignore it as they are too shy of exposing themselves publicly, even though it may be a potentially life-threatening medical emergency. If you are ever in this situation please answer the call!

Reply 491

junior.doctor

Sounds like you've had more than your fair share! It's happened to me sort of twice - the first time I was a 2nd year student and I'd seen the incident happen - a rowdy toddler a few rows in front had fallen and banged his head - no LOC, kid was fine, cabin crew were just understandably being a bt careful. I did respond to the call but thankfully there was a proper doctor on board so didn't have to do anything. The second time wasn't really a flight but was a stopover at Ethiopia airport in the transit lounge, elderly man in front of me in the queue collapsed with hypovolaemic shock. Being Ethiopia, it took them an insane amount of time to come up with some medics / anything that resembled a first aid box! As it happened I had my stethoscope in my hand luggage as I'd been doing some relief work and I didn't trust Air Ethiopia to deliver my hold baggage intact (turns out this was a very wise move...) I didn't get a first class upgrade though :-(

Reply 492

Mushi_master

Interesting that this thread continues to be highjacked by a bunch of internet fails, I haven't seen a hint of arrogance and enjoy the challenge of thinking up guided solutions to these very difficult scenarios. Go troll somewhere else crazy med forum stalkers.

Reply 493

Helenia

I've never had them call for a doctor when I've flown anywhere, even before I qualified. :frown:

The only time I've ever had to get involved outside of hospital was when a tramp got beaten up in the park while my friends and I were having a picnic.

Reply 494

Beska

Original post by Helenia

I've never had them call for a doctor when I've flown anywhere, even before I qualified. :frown:

The only time I've ever had to get involved outside of hospital was when a tramp got beaten up in the park while my friends and I were having a picnic.

That sounds like a brill PBL case right there. :p:

Reply 495

GodspeedGehenna

Original post by Jackso

So are you going to spill the beans as to how you apparently know me?

Reply 496

electricjon

Original post by GodspeedGehenna

So are you going to spill the beans as to how you apparently know me?

I would PM him. He no longer appears willing to contribute to the thread but seems happy to talk to me privately. The conversation is somewhat feeble mind...

Reply 497

Penguinsaysquack

Is it bad that I know hope this happens to me so I could get upgraded to first class/free stuff? :erm:

Though can it wait a few years till I know even the basics :colone:

Reply 498

Helenia

Here's one for you (relatively short but based on real life).

You are in A&E at 3am (this stuff always happens at 3am). The "red phone" goes off - an ambulance is bringing a woman in labour to you. She is 33 weeks pregnant. They do not think they have time to get to the antenatal ward which is approx half a mile away at the other end of the hospital. Your reg is busy putting in a chest drain. You have one minute before she arrives. What do you do?