I done good, huh fellas

[Misterioso]

Well it happened today. I fulfilled one of my goals. Totally serious here fellas.
I walked to the nurse's station and said "Who has Mr.-----'s chart?". One of the nurses said she was using it and I said I need it now. Pause. Me looking totally serious. Showing no emotion whatsoever. She handed it right over and asked how soon she could have it back. "When I'm done with it".

As I left the nurse's station (and they thought I was out of earshot) another nurse whispered: "That guy's the biggest jerkoff that's ever rotated here." Those were her exact words fellas. You should of seen the smile I was sporting when I heard those sweet words. Or maybe she said it knowing full well I would hear it, thinking it would put me in my place. But little did she know I thrive off hate, I feed off it.

That's how it's done fellas. We gotta bring it back to old school.

---

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[doc02]

You have a ways to go because if you were truly the master, they'd just sit in terrified silence.

 

[gonefishin]

It's one thing if you do it -- it's another thing to post it on here and expect people to say, "oh my god, that guy's so cool. Wow he has guts."

I don't know you so I won't attack your ability as a surgeon or physician, but your attitude is pretty sick and I hope you are never my partner/doctor/colleague/etc.

Nurses may not have to go through as much training as we do..and granted some are unintelligent. But they serve a very important part in medical care and are willing to do things that you aren't.

The fact that she handed it right back to you and then asked when she could have it back...and you responded as arrogant as you did makes me sick. You're attitude is precisely whey surgeons are viewed the way they are. It takes more balls to be a nice surgeon that it does to be a mean one.

I hope the program that trains me doesn't have residents with your attitude. There is a difference between being hard for a reason and being hard just to be a jerk. I think its safe to say you are the latter

 

[doc02]

You need to come over here and lecture nurses with the same fervor because usually it's nurses who are like, "don't touch that flowsheet, I'm going to be using it in a minute!" or "that's my chair, even though I wasn't even in the building five minutes ago, get out of it now!!" But I bet you don't give them that same lecture, do you?

 

[Cheisu]

It's one thing if you do it -- it's another thing to post it on here and expect people to say, "oh my god, that guy's so cool. Wow he has guts."

I don't know you so I won't attack your ability as a surgeon or physician, but your attitude is pretty sick and I hope you are never my partner/doctor/colleague/etc.

Nurses may not have to go through as much training as we do..and granted some are unintelligent. But they serve a very important part in medical care and are willing to do things that you aren't.

The fact that she handed it right back to you and then asked when she could have it back...and you responded as arrogant as you did makes me sick. You're attitude is precisely whey surgeons are viewed the way they are. It takes more balls to be a nice surgeon that it does to be a mean one.

I hope the program that trains me doesn't have residents with your attitude. There is a difference between being hard for a reason and being hard just to be a jerk. I think its safe to say you are the latter

He did have to be hard for a reason. A surgeon, who is always higher up in importance than a nurse, should not have to give the nurse a certain time they will have the chart back. A doctor can do whatever a nurse does, so therefore, it is always more important for the patient's chart to be in the hands of a doctor. Also, a doctor shouldn't have to estimate when he will be done with the chart to a nurse. Just like he said, he would be done when he was done, which is explanation enough. Don't be a hypocrite. You said you wouldn't attack him, then you expressed disgust towards him by stating you wouldn't want to have him as a partner, thus attacking him.

You need to come over here and lecture nurses with the same fervor because usually it's nurses who are like, "don't touch that flowsheet, I'm going to be using it in a minute!" or "that's my chair, even though I wasn't even in the building five minutes ago, get out of it now!!" But I bet you don't give them that same lecture, do you?

Some nurses are seriously just nasty to people. There's a nurse at my hospital who always flips out and goes into cardiac arrest when a patient's info isn't entered into the computer no matter how chaotic the ER is.

 

[gonefishin]

just for clarification Cheisu, read my post more closely...

its says, "attack your ability as a surgeon or physician" ... misterioso may be a good surgeon and clinician...i can't attack him and say he's a horrible doctor. I can say I don't want him as MY colleague, doctor, resident.

So before you call people a hypocrite, either look up the correct meaning of the word or read their posts correctly.

In any case, a surgeon does not have to be mean to nurses..it take two seconds to say, "I have to write in it so it will be a little while." End of discussion. And no surgeon writes a lot.

If you are nice to nurses, they will go out of their way to help you. Not calling you for bs stuff in the middle of the night, posting your add-ons sooner (for or nurses), or taking care of your floor work.

I doubt that nurse was thinking, "well he's more important than me so he should have the chart...i'll twittle my thumbs until he's done.." She has her work to do and asked a simple question.

It's common courtesy. Hell, you don't have to be nice if you dont want to -- he could have said it will be a while...instead of whenever I'm done....more importance does not translate into right to be arrogant.
So no, he did not have to be hard for a reason...she didnt protest giving him the chart nor did she give him attitude.

If a nurse is nasty -- fine...I agree you can be rude right back at her...just to make a point to her...not to get self-gratification, which is what misterioso implied in his original post.

 

[icare4u]

[YOUTUBE]
He did have to be hard for a reason. A surgeon, who is always higher up in importance than a nurse, should not have to give the nurse a certain time they will have the chart back. A doctor can do whatever a nurse does, so therefore, it is always more important for the patient's chart to be in the hands of a doctor. Also, a doctor shouldn't have to estimate when he will be done with the chart to a nurse. Just like he said, he would be done when he was done, which is explanation enough. Don't be a hypocrite. You said you wouldn't attack him, then you expressed disgust towards him by stating you wouldn't want to have him as a partner, thus attacking him.
[/YOUTUBE]

 

[gnomemage7]

I know responding to trolls is not kosher but my eyes are bleeding glycogen storage diseases so I decided to take a break because I've seen nurses do far too much in the field of medicine to allow this thread to go on the way it is.


1) The only person defending Misterioso's position in this thread is http://www.myspace.com/Jigsaw_Rebirth which kind of makes my day
Both of you have incredibly warped views regarding the most basic social etiquette of being human. I feel sorry for whatever happened to you as a child that caused such a profound lack of understanding of how to interact with your fellow man.

2) Nurses make the hospital work. Period. There is not an experienced caregiver on these forums who will argue that nurses are not absolutely essential to what we do. I never have personally had the desire to pursue nursing as a career but I damn sure respect the work they do. If you ever take the time, you may come to realize that nurses comfort patients in their times of need, they provide the eyes and ears of advanced health care providers in many instances, and they allow us as physicians (and med students) to practice medicine in a safe and effective way.

3) Both of you have been watching to much Grey's Anatomy...no seriously, stop it

4) Misteriso, perhaps the fact that you aspire to be the biggest "jerkoff" is because you're afraid of rejection if you were to put yourself out there and truly attempt to befriend your coworkers (and yes that includes nurses). Or you're a sociopath...but I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt.

5) I'll leave Misterioso and anyone who agrees with his approach to his subordinates with a relatively common cliche about not judging a man based on how he treats his equals; but how he treats people he considers inferior.

Disclaimer: I'm a med student interested in anesthesiology but I used to spend a lot of time back in the day working with sick kids in one of busiest children's hospitals in the country and it taught me a lot about how much the people considered "below" docs really do.

 

[smq123]

He did have to be hard for a reason. A surgeon, who is always higher up in importance than a nurse, should not have to give the nurse a certain time they will have the chart back. A doctor can do whatever a nurse does, so therefore, it is always more important for the patient's chart to be in the hands of a doctor. Also, a doctor shouldn't have to estimate when he will be done with the chart to a nurse. Just like he said, he would be done when he was done, which is explanation enough. Don't be a hypocrite. You said you wouldn't attack him, then you expressed disgust towards him by stating you wouldn't want to have him as a partner, thus attacking him.

I think that it would be fantastic if you stopped posting about stuff that you do not understand, and have no experience with. At least until you graduate from high school.

The nurse was not rude, and she asked a perfectly reasonable question. In this case, Misterioso really didn't have a right to the chart, just because he "needed it." He's a med student, and should do his part to not unnecessarily antagonize other members of the healthcare team. (By the way, he is neither a physician nor a surgeon yet.)

Cheisu - please stop running off at the mouth about things that you do not understand. You haven't even made it successfully INTO med school yet, not to mention even spent a full week on an inpatient service. Seriously, stop it.

 

[smq123]

Some nurses are seriously just nasty to people. There's a nurse at my hospital who always flips out and goes into cardiac arrest when a patient's info isn't entered into the computer no matter how chaotic the ER is.

Yes, some nurses are malignant. The nurse in the OP, though, was not. Please learn the difference.

 

[doctorhouse]

I know responding to trolls is not kosher but my eyes are bleeding glycogen storage diseases so I decided to take a break because I've seen nurses do far too much in the field of medicine to allow this thread to go on the way it is.


1) The only person defending Misterioso's position in this thread is http://www.myspace.com/Jigsaw_Rebirth which kind of makes my day

Mine too! You're awesome!

2) Nurses make the hospital work. Period. There is not an experienced caregiver on these forums who will argue that nurses are not absolutely essential to what we do. I never have personally had the desire to pursue nursing as a career but I damn sure respect the work they do. If you ever take the time, you may come to realize that nurses comfort patients in their times of need, they provide the eyes and ears of advanced health care providers in many instances, and they allow us as physicians (and med students) to practice medicine in a safe and effective way.

3) Both of you have been watching to much Grey's Anatomy...no seriously, stop it

4) Misteriso, perhaps the fact that you aspire to be the biggest "jerkoff" is because you're afraid of rejection if you were to put yourself out there and truly attempt to befriend your coworkers (and yes that includes nurses). Or you're a sociopath...but I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt.

5) I'll leave Misterioso and anyone who agrees with his approach to his subordinates with a relatively common cliche about not judging a man based on how he treats his equals; but how he treats people he considers inferior.

Disclaimer: I'm a med student interested in anesthesiology but I used to spend a lot of time back in the day working with sick kids in one of busiest children's hospitals in the country and it taught me a lot about how much the people considered "below" docs really do.

Exactly.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Before newbies post, they might want to check out the history of people posting such things. Misterioso is a troll. He enjoys posting such ridiculous things. They should not be taken seriously.

 

[Misterioso]

It takes more balls to be a nice surgeon that it does to be a mean one.

Ha! That's the exact misconception that's been peddled for the past couple of decades that has resulted in surgeons losing their standing and prestige compared to their predecessors.

We gotta be "nice" and tip toe around nurses and every other allied health worker. We have to pretend we're not above them despite our obviously superior knowledge, technical skills, and income so as to not offend and make them feel bad. Which is why surgeons are slowly but surely being marginalized as just another cog in the healthcare system. Before you could straight up tell them to STFU or get you a cup of coffee without repercussion because you were the surgeon and they weren't. Now they actually talk back to surgeons, among other acts of blatent insubordination. Give them an inch and they'll take a mile as the saying goes.

Yeah, keep buying the line they feed you about it takes more "balls" to be nice than to be your true self regardless of what people think and that's what ends up happening. Keep buying it suckers and keep undoing all the work our badass old school surgeons did that once made us untouchable.

 

[Joel Fleischman]

Yawn

 

[doc02]

2) Nurses make the hospital work. Period. There is not an experienced caregiver on these forums who will argue that nurses are not absolutely essential to what we do.

What makes you say that? Nurses perform a role, just like everyone else. You could say that the guys who restock the supply rooms make the hospital work, too, by the same reasoning. People who act like hospitals are based on nurses need to wake up. Do they perform a necessary function? Absolutely. Does that mean THEY make the hospital work? Not hardly. The only people who talk like that are suck-ups and people who have relatives who are nurses.

 

[Misterioso]

The point of this thread was not that he was proud of being a tool to the nurse, it's that he's proud to be labeled "the biggest jerkoff to ever rotate [there]". And actually, that is kind of an accomplishment, since I'm sure we've all seen some serious jerkoffs come and go in med school.

Imagine how many jerkoffs this particular nurse has seen in her 20 years sitting behind the nursing station? Yet Misterioso is the biggest jerkoff of them all.

In a way it is kind of an accomplishment . . .

Thank you for understanding.

You seem to be one of the few people who understands what's going on and doesn't buy the PC B.S. like the rest.

 

[Cheisu]

I know responding to trolls is not kosher but my eyes are bleeding glycogen storage diseases so I decided to take a break because I've seen nurses do far too much in the field of medicine to allow this thread to go on the way it is.


1) The only person defending Misterioso's position in this thread is http://www.myspace.com/Jigsaw_Rebirth which kind of makes my day
Both of you have incredibly warped views regarding the most basic social etiquette of being human. I feel sorry for whatever happened to you as a child that caused such a profound lack of understanding of how to interact with your fellow man.

2) Nurses make the hospital work. Period. There is not an experienced caregiver on these forums who will argue that nurses are not absolutely essential to what we do. I never have personally had the desire to pursue nursing as a career but I damn sure respect the work they do. If you ever take the time, you may come to realize that nurses comfort patients in their times of need, they provide the eyes and ears of advanced health care providers in many instances, and they allow us as physicians (and med students) to practice medicine in a safe and effective way.

3) Both of you have been watching to much Grey's Anatomy...no seriously, stop it

4) Misteriso, perhaps the fact that you aspire to be the biggest "jerkoff" is because you're afraid of rejection if you were to put yourself out there and truly attempt to befriend your coworkers (and yes that includes nurses). Or you're a sociopath...but I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt.

5) I'll leave Misterioso and anyone who agrees with his approach to his subordinates with a relatively common cliche about not judging a man based on how he treats his equals; but how he treats people he considers inferior.

Disclaimer: I'm a med student interested in anesthesiology but I used to spend a lot of time back in the day working with sick kids in one of busiest children's hospitals in the country and it taught me a lot about how much the people considered "below" docs really do.

I swear, you must be in ortho (lol ortho what a joke).

 

[plouffes]

That's how it's done fellas. We gotta bring it back to old school.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha. good luck to you.

 

[Winged Scapula]

I swear, you must be in ortho (lol ortho what a joke).

Why the hate for Ortho?

I rather enjoyed it in medical school and there is no reason to pounce on them here. Besides, if he's studying glycogen storage diseases as a medical student, he's not an ortho resident.

 

[Cheisu]

Why the hate for Ortho?

I rather enjoyed it in medical school and there is no reason to pounce on them here. Besides, if he's studying glycogen storage diseases as a medical student, he's not an ortho resident.

It was kind of a joke. But just like they say in Grey's Anatomy (and it's true): there's no finesse in ortho. It's carpentry.

 

[Winged Scapula]

It was kind of a joke. But just like they say in Grey's Anatomy (and it's true): there's no finesse in ortho. It's carpentry.

Maybe on a gross level. But some of the spinal stuff is pretty neat, IMHO. Besides, carpentry can be pretty complicated...there's a reason they have hand, shoulder and ankle specialists.

 

[Cheisu]

Maybe on a gross level. But some of the spinal stuff is pretty neat, IMHO. Besides, carpentry can be pretty complicated...there's a reason they have hand, shoulder and ankle specialists.

Meh >< I guess ortho just doesn't strike me as something that would be particular interesting. I'm sure it's not the same for everyone, or no one would specialize in ortho. But idk. It's just something about bones being my least favorite thing reading about in medical books. I'm not sure what I wanna specialize in, but I'm sure I don't want to go into ortho, ob/gyn, anesthesia, ortho, plastics, or neuro.

I think I'll end up doing cardio surgery. General seems too laparoscopic for me.

 

[-Goose-]

Meh >< I guess ortho just doesn't strike me as something that would be particular interesting. I'm sure it's not the same for everyone, or no one would specialize in ortho. But idk. It's just something about bones being my least favorite thing reading about in medical books. I'm not sure what I wanna specialize in, but I'm sure I don't want to go into ortho, ob/gyn, anesthesia, ortho, plastics, or neuro.

I think I'll end up doing cardio surgery. General seems too laparoscopic for me.

Getting to med school should be the more important goal, buddy.

Start by graduating high school.

And don't bash ortho. You have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[BlackSails]

I think I'll end up doing cardio surgery. General seems too laparoscopic for me.

I hate to tell you, but cardio is going minimally invasive as well.

 

[Cheisu]

I hate to tell you, but cardio is going minimally invasive as well.

Not as much as gen. surg. though. Pretty much everything is going minimally invasive, but the open procedures will never be completely replaced.

 

[smq123]

But just like they say in Grey's Anatomy (and it's true): there's no finesse in ortho. It's carpentry.

And if that's what they say on Grey's Anatomy, it MUST be true!!

For Christ's sake, how would you know what ortho is like? Unless you rotate through it, I don't think it's fair to make blanket assumptions.

Meh >< I guess ortho just doesn't strike me as something that would be particular interesting. I'm sure it's not the same for everyone, or no one would specialize in ortho. But idk. It's just something about bones being my least favorite thing reading about in medical books. I'm not sure what I wanna specialize in, but I'm sure I don't want to go into ortho, ob/gyn, anesthesia, ortho, plastics, or neuro.

Don't knock stuff until you try it. And don't go around telling people what you will or won't do. Almost everyone in medicine knew someone in college (or, in your case, high school) who talked about how they'd never be an ob/gyn, or never do family med. For these people it was never an issue seeing as they never got into med school. You don't want to be one of those people.

 

[BlackSails]

Not as much as gen. surg. though. Pretty much everything is going minimally invasive, but the open procedures will never be completely replaced.

http://www.cts.usc.edu/videoassistedthoracoscopicsurgery.html

Never say never. Im sure 30 years ago they never thought we could remove a gall bladder through three tiny incisions, let alone do anything more complicated like a nissen fundoplication. Anway

 

[BlackSails]

Don't knock stuff until you try it. And don't go around telling people what you will or won't do. Almost everyone in medicine knew someone in college (or, in your case, high school) who talked about how they'd never be an ob/gyn, or never do family med. For these people it was never an issue seeing as they never got into med school. You don't want to be one of those people.

Meh, Im in college, I know I dont want to do FM for example. Ive spent a little time there, and its really boring. And any cool cases you get, you then refer anyway to the appropriate specialist. (Ok, your yearly EKG is funny, ill give you a referral to a cardiologist. Abnormal eye exam? Off to the opthomologist for you, etc) In rural areas its probably different, but I dont want to practice in the middle of nowhere anyway.

 

[countryboy75]

Wait until you get stuck up a creek without a paddle then tell me it was a good idea to "put nurses in their place"

I've been working in medicine since I was 15 and have definitely taken my fair share of crap from nurses such as:
Having a nurse tell a family that I was a pervert working at a nursing home so I could see old women naked-that really ticked me off. I wanted to take off her orthotic shoe and beat that old battle axe with it when she said that.

or having a nurse blame me for missing narcotics when the count was off even though I never had any sort of access to them...turned out to be another nurse swiping meds

or over hearing a nurse tell a group of other nurses that "we should scare him into submission so when he is a doctor he will do what we say"

or having a nurse unmake all my beds because they didn't have "correct hospital corners" after feeding and bathing 8 patients from 5:55am-8:00 am

BUT I will never put down a nurse for no good reason. You give some respect and you will get a lot back. Chances are they have been at the hospital longer than you and know exactly how the attendings want things. Plus, a good word from them can go a long way when it comes to your end assessment and grading.

 

[MossPoh]

Meh, Im in college, I know I dont want to do FM for example. Ive spent a little time there, and its really boring. And any cool cases you get, you then refer anyway to the appropriate specialist. (Ok, your yearly EKG is funny, ill give you a referral to a cardiologist. Abnormal eye exam? Off to the opthomologist for you, etc) In rural areas its probably different, but I dont want to practice in the middle of nowhere anyway.

I still think it is unfair to judge a specialty until you experience it. As a premed you (and I) don't really have the necessary knowledge base to see/hear more the doctor say it is abnormal or normal. We have a tough time seeing the decisions path that led to that diagnosis. Its ok to say you gravitate towards certain things, but I find the people who eliminate complete specialities based on a shadowing experience (or preconceived notions/grey's anatomy) a bit ridiculous. I acknowledge that I enjoy working with my hands and high tech stuff, so I kind of find myself interested in those fields....but I still don't eliminate a speciality completely. At our current position, we just need to learn as much as possible.

 

[smq123]

Meh, Im in college, I know I dont want to do FM for example. Ive spent a little time there, and its really boring. And any cool cases you get, you then refer anyway to the appropriate specialist. (Ok, your yearly EKG is funny, ill give you a referral to a cardiologist. Abnormal eye exam? Off to the opthomologist for you, etc) In rural areas its probably different, but I dont want to practice in the middle of nowhere anyway.

Meh, when I was in college, I knew that I didn't want to do surgery or OB. I didn't like the fact that you don't get to have long-term care (with surgery), and OB just sounded horrible (particularly after my own catastrophic experiences with OB/gyns).

Now, as a third year, I love being in the OR. I liked delivering babies. I love scrubbing in - even the "boring" stuff (like retracting) is great. Plus, there ARE surgical sub-specialties where you can get long-term patient care, which I didn't realize until I was a 2nd year med student.

You truly never know till you try it. Or at least until you get to med school.

And if you'd really spent a little time in a Family Med office (particularly one that is affiliated with a busy urban practice), then you'd know that dispensing referrals is not the only thing that Family Med people do. It'd be like saying "I don't want to be a surgeon because they only know how to cut," which isn't true.

I still think it is unfair to judge a specialty until you experience it. As a premed you (and I) don't really have the necessary knowledge base to see/hear more the doctor say it is abnormal or normal. We have a tough time seeing the decisions path that led to that diagnosis. Its ok to say you gravitate towards certain things, but I find the people who eliminate complete specialities based on a shadowing experience (or preconceived notions/grey's anatomy) a bit ridiculous. I acknowledge that I enjoy working with my hands and high tech stuff, so I kind of find myself interested in those fields....but I still don't eliminate a speciality completely. At our current position, we just need to learn as much as possible.

Totally agree.

 

[Winged Scapula]

I'll add my voice the chorus that is saying you really don't know if you'll like something until you've tried it.

When I started medical school I had plans to be some sort of IM specialty (mind you in junior high and high school, I thought about Neurosurgery and Psychiatry). During my pre-clinical years, I enjoyed Cards. Some of my friends thought I'd be a great FP because of my personality.

I NEVER considered surgery. I didn't know any surgeons mind you, but I was convinced that you had to have the attitude and behavior that misterioso is espousing to be a successful surgeon. When I did my 3rd year rotations, like many others, I found I liked doing procedures and being in the OR. Guess what? I hated IM and particularly despised FP (but that may have been because of my PITA, chip on his shoulder, preceptor).

So I'd be the first one to tell you not to make up your mind or even be convinced you wouldn't like something until you've really gotten to experience it.

 

[Blade28]

I swear, you must be in ortho (lol ortho what a joke).

Why? Have you worked with Ortho residents/attendings before?

It was kind of a joke. But just like they say in Grey's Anatomy (and it's true): there's no finesse in ortho. It's carpentry.

Ah...come on, what did I tell you about that show? It's all false! 100% untrue!

But idk. It's just something about bones being my least favorite thing reading about in medical books.
...
I think I'll end up doing cardio surgery. General seems too laparoscopic for me.

(1) Please don't use "idk" here! Argh!

(2) What medical books are you reading, exactly? I tried that for one day, one summer when volunteering after my freshman year of college. Gave up because I didn't understand half the words.

(3) Please, at least call it "cardiac" surgery or "cardiothoracic" surgery.

 

[Cheisu]

Wait until you get stuck up a creek without a paddle then tell me it was a good idea to "put nurses in their place"

I've been working in medicine since I was 15 and have definitely taken my fair share of crap from nurses such as:
Having a nurse tell a family that I was a pervert working at a nursing home so I could see old women naked-that really ticked me off. I wanted to take off her orthotic shoe and beat that old battle axe with it when she said that.

or having a nurse blame me for missing narcotics when the count was off even though I never had any sort of access to them...turned out to be another nurse swiping meds

or over hearing a nurse tell a group of other nurses that "we should scare him into submission so when he is a doctor he will do what we say"

or having a nurse unmake all my beds because they didn't have "correct hospital corners" after feeding and bathing 8 patients from 5:55am-8:00 am

BUT I will never put down a nurse for no good reason. You give some respect and you will get a lot back. Chances are they have been at the hospital longer than you and know exactly how the attendings want things. Plus, a good word from them can go a long way when it comes to your end assessment and grading.

How have you been "working in medicine ever since you were 15"?

 

[Flopotomist]

How have you been "working in medicine ever since you were 15"?

Did a 16 year old just call out a 15 year old?

 

[Blade28]

How have you been "working in medicine ever since you were 15"?

Did a 16 year old just call out a 15 year old?

He's actually an MS-III with a lot of Ortho experience.

 

[countryboy75]

How have you been "working in medicine ever since you were 15"?


I started working as a nurses aide at a nursing home when I was 15 years old. Doing personal care (mainly bathing, perianal care, feeding etc.) Only male aide in the nursing home. Definitely a job "in the trenches" but I loved it. Did that until I got a job being a surgical aide, I pretty much took any chance for medical exposure I could get. Worked in: Nursing home, outpatient surgery center, hospital OR, Hospital ER, did a bunch of ambulance work won an award for oustanding EMT in the state of Ohio, worked in a long term psych care facility, Then I went down to Slidell LA 5 days after hurricane Katrina worked in a shelter clinic there I found out about my medical school applied and got accepted.

While doing all this I took any chance at after hours or before hours OR exposure (lots of 05:00 hours just so I can see what a total knee, total hip, splenectomy etc. looked like, befreinded a number of local physicians and surgeons, got a chance to hang out with them after hours in the doctors lounge or at the country club, definitely got some good insight into things.

I am now 25 yrs. old, in medical school (MS-III) and working to get the boards and clinical scores to get a surgery residency

 

[hans19]

How have you been "working in medicine ever since you were 15"?


I started working as a nurses aide at a nursing home when I was 15 years old. Doing personal care (mainly bathing, perianal care, feeding etc.) Only male aide in the nursing home. Definitely a job "in the trenches" but I loved it. Did that until I got a job being a surgical aide, I pretty much took any chance for medical exposure I could get. Worked in: Nursing home, outpatient surgery center, hospital OR, Hospital ER, did a bunch of ambulance work won an award for oustanding EMT in the state of Ohio, worked in a long term psych care facility, Then I went down to Slidell LA 5 days after hurricane Katrina worked in a shelter clinic there I found out about my medical school applied and got accepted.

While doing all this I took any chance at after hours or before hours OR exposure (lots of 05:00 hours just so I can see what a total knee, total hip, splenectomy etc. looked like, befreinded a number of local physicians and surgeons, got a chance to hang out with them after hours in the doctors lounge or at the country club, definitely got some good insight into things.

I am now 25 yrs. old, in medical school (MS-III) and working to get the boards and clinical scores to get a surgery residency

Kudos! You did it the right way. You started early without being a pest. You paid your dues. You didn't make sweeping statements about fields you knew nothing about. But most importantly you did this all- without making a single annoying reference to a medical drama!

Good luck with your pursuits!

 

[Cheisu]

How have you been "working in medicine ever since you were 15"?


I started working as a nurses aide at a nursing home when I was 15 years old. Doing personal care (mainly bathing, perianal care, feeding etc.) Only male aide in the nursing home. Definitely a job "in the trenches" but I loved it. Did that until I got a job being a surgical aide, I pretty much took any chance for medical exposure I could get. Worked in: Nursing home, outpatient surgery center, hospital OR, Hospital ER, did a bunch of ambulance work won an award for oustanding EMT in the state of Ohio, worked in a long term psych care facility, Then I went down to Slidell LA 5 days after hurricane Katrina worked in a shelter clinic there I found out about my medical school applied and got accepted.

While doing all this I took any chance at after hours or before hours OR exposure (lots of 05:00 hours just so I can see what a total knee, total hip, splenectomy etc. looked like, befreinded a number of local physicians and surgeons, got a chance to hang out with them after hours in the doctors lounge or at the country club, definitely got some good insight into things.

I am now 25 yrs. old, in medical school (MS-III) and working to get the boards and clinical scores to get a surgery residency

How did you get your CNA license at 15?

 

[pseudoknot]

How did you get your CNA license at 15?

1. He didn't say he was a CNA, just that he was working in the capacity of a nurse's aide.

2. I'm not aware of any place where CNAs are "licensed." It is a certificate, and again, not one that is legally required for anything in some places.

 

[smkoepke]

Well it happened today. I fulfilled one of my goals. Totally serious here fellas.
I walked to the nurse's station and said "Who has Mr.-----'s chart?". One of the nurses said she was using it and I said I need it now. Pause. Me looking totally serious. Showing no emotion whatsoever. She handed it right over and asked how soon she could have it back. "When I'm done with it".

As I left the nurse's station (and they thought I was out of earshot) another nurse whispered: "That guy's the biggest jerkoff that's ever rotated here." Those were her exact words fellas. You should of seen the smile I was sporting when I heard those sweet words. Or maybe she said it knowing full well I would hear it, thinking it would put me in my place. But little did she know I thrive off hate, I feed off it.

That's how it's done fellas. We gotta bring it back to old school.

hmmm, rude as this was it still isn't as bad as the doc who came up snatched chart from me right from under my pen while I was completing the coumadin flow info. Yep, snatched the chart without a word and walked off to the nurses station to work on it. As a nursing student you pretty much have to put up with this type of BS and keep quiet. Later on though I may not let it go, I'd probably walk up and snatch it right back.

 

[Castro Viejo]

hmmm, rude as this was it still isn't as bad as the doc who came up snatched chart from me right from under my pen while I was completing the coumadin flow info. Yep, snatched the chart without a word and walked off to the nurses station to work on it. As a nursing student you pretty much have to put up with this type of BS and keep quiet. Later on though I may not let it go, I'd probably walk up and snatch it right back.

Great. An eye for an eye, is it?

As much as I don't like this kind of behavior on the part of physicians or the ancillary staff, going back at it with the doctor isn't going to really help the situation.

It's interesting, but hospital personnel dynamics seem to tell me that it's okay for the physician to be pooed on all the time by the ancillary staff, custodial staff, and hell, even the cafeteria staff. But when the physician exerts his ultimate authority in the care of the patient he becomes public enemy No. 1 or even lashes back out at the constant crapping all day long, at least by the "wonderful" unionized staff here in New York, he becomes the "arrogant jerk" that the ancillary staff hates.

Sorry, but your response to go back and snatch the chart back from the person who ultimately dictates the care of the patient you're helping care for is not the right response. That physician has only 24 hours in a day to see his patients in the hospital, followup on consults, make constant phone calls back to concerned patients, see patients in his office, and try to have a life. You've got your work too, I understand, and I try not to get in your way when you're working. But try not to get in mine either.

 

[smkoepke]

Great. An eye for an eye, is it?

As much as I don't like this kind of behavior on the part of physicians or the ancillary staff, going back at it with the doctor isn't going to really help the situation.

It's interesting, but hospital personnel dynamics seem to tell me that it's okay for the physician to be pooed on all the time by the ancillary staff, custodial staff, and hell, even the cafeteria staff. But when the physician exerts his ultimate authority in the care of the patient he becomes public enemy No. 1 or even lashes back out at the constant crapping all day long, at least by the "wonderful" unionized staff here in New York, he becomes the "arrogant jerk" that the ancillary staff hates.

Sorry, but your response to go back and snatch the chart back from the person who ultimately dictates the care of the patient you're helping care for is not the right response. That physician has only 24 hours in a day to see his patients in the hospital, followup on consults, make constant phone calls back to concerned patients, see patients in his office, and try to have a life. You've got your work too, I understand, and I try not to get in your way when you're working. But try not to get in mine either.

Umm no, adults should be able to understand the concept of asking for something instead of snatching it. I know that physicians are busy, as are most people working in a hospital. It still isn't polite to go up and snatch something from someone while they are working on it. Use your words. People initiating this type of behavior clearly have not socially progressed beyond preschool and as such will probably only understand a response that is equally as childish.

 

[countryboy75]

I dunno if I was a licensed CNA, however, I was a State Tested Nurses Aide.
There is nothing in the state law (ORC) that says anything about age. All that is required is that you can lift over 50 lbs and have not commited a felony.

I was an STNA in the state of Ohio. Took a two week course at the nursing home then took a written test, then I had to wipe a manequins (sp?) butt, use an assist belt and feed another student in front of some nurse from the state. That was about it. Kind of sad because a few of the adults I took this with failed the test but I don't think they could read (but then again who else can you get to clean up old people for 8 bucks an hour...teenagers who want to be docs and nurses; and illiterate people who dropped out of high school)

I used to ride my bicycle to work at "the home" b/c of course I didn't have a drivers license yet.

Another cool thing that happened was that I got a little story about me put in the paper because I was an all state football player and I worked taking care of "little old ladies".

 

[gasnewby]

well really a nursing student should be complaining on allnurses, not a surgery forum.

having said that, i'm pretty sure it didn't exactly happen as she described. more like, the chart is in front of her and she's working on a separate flow sheet. or...the chart and flow sheet are in front of her but she's chatting. or eating. or both. i highly doubt her pen was on the paper and there's a big line across the flow sheet where the chart was cruelly removed from her possession. give me a break. (and i'm sure she'll write back and say "No, that's exactly what happened!"). whatever.

 

[Castro Viejo]

Umm no, adults should be able to understand the concept of asking for something instead of snatching it. I know that physicians are busy, as are most people working in a hospital. It still isn't polite to go up and snatch something from someone while they are working on it. Use your words. People initiating this type of behavior clearly have not socially progressed beyond preschool and as such will probably only understand a response that is equally as childish.

You're right. It's not polite. I personally would never do such a thing and I'd kick my juniors' butts if I saw something like that.

But spare me whatever pseudo-psychological theory on physician behavior you learned watching an episode of "Dr. Phil."

You just CAN'T rationalize the "he did it to me so I'm gonna do it back to him." Isn't that just as pre-schoolish as you describe? Aren't you, then, as guilty as the physician for "not progressing beyond pre-school" and exhibiting the same childish behavior?

Yes, you would be. You'd still do it anyway, I'd bet, 'cause you're unionized and, gosh darn it, deserve that 15 minute break for every 2 hours of work. And a lunch break too!

 

[butterfly0660]

How did you get your CNA license at 15?

I too started working as a CNA in a nursing home at the age of 15. I kept right on doing so through high school and college. Maybe its not common for 15 year olds to become certified nursing aides, but its definitely possible!

 

[smkoepke]

You're right. It's not polite. I personally would never do such a thing and I'd kick my juniors' butts if I saw something like that.

This right here is the point.

P.S. By the way, to the poster who is doubting this happened exactly as I posted. Hey believe what you will, but this happened a year ago and I remember it clearly for the simple fact that it WAS so shocking. Also, FYI, students don't fall under any sort of "union".

 

[smkoepke]

well really a nursing student should be complaining on allnurses, not a surgery forum.

Take it up with the administration here. Physicians and other non-nurses show up at allnurses as well. The owner/staff of this site choose to allow people from all walks of life to post. I suggest you create your own private forum if this is a problem for you, or ask about getting an ignore feature so you don't have to deal with anyone that is not a surgeon.

 

[Castro Viejo]

You're right. It's not polite. I personally would never do such a thing and I'd kick my juniors' butts if I saw something like that. {Quote}

This right here is the point.

Yes, but the next point would be that your "nursing professors" have taught you that it's okay to be entirely disrespectful of physicians, and that it's okay to crap on them all day long, which isn't right either.

I'm willing to bet, because I've seen it several times in my lifetime as a surgical resident, that on seeing you do something like "snatch the chart away from the doctor," your nurse manager or "professor" would:

a) give you an A in the course (A for being a complete ass)
b) congratulate you on making your first, of many in a lifetime, attempt at leveling the playing field with physicians
and c) give you an extra 15 minutes off the next time you're due for your break.

So as I'm trying to manage with showing my juniors not to be disrespectful of the ancillary staff though they ultimately are the ones in charge of patient care, why don't you try to remember that a nurse is still subordinate to a physician.