When you come back to work after a long vacation, you're excit-
ed to see that the OR has undergone a mini- makeover. There's a
new fluid suction device, and a new light and camera system. But
then you realize the upgrades can't conceal the same cracked monitor,
the same picture printer that doesn't print consistently and the insuf-
flator tubing that's broken in the same place.
You remind the relatively new surgeon who wants to do a
"small" fracture at 3 p.m. that the outpatient department closes
at 6 p.m. That didn't seem to register, so you also mention that your
only C-arm as well as the fracture system he needs are both being
used in another room. No problem, he says. He doesn't need a C-arm,
and he'll use anything we have and piecemeal it together. Well guess
what? He makes the incision and discovers that the patient has an
implant in the leg with the "small" fracture. And that "small" fracture
is actually two fractures — one above the implant and one below it.
Too bad there were no X-rays for us to see.
Two doctors work together on a case that goes south very
quickly and has all of us moving at the speed of a cheetah. Is it
love when they both leave and sincerely tell us thank you and it was
fun?
I show love for my co-workers when I request to do all the long
cases with all the slow doctors. My co-workers are young and
enjoy the fast movement of an ADHD surgeon. I'd rather they work
with Dr. ADHD. I'll settle for three-plus hour procedures.
Per a scrub tech's request, the circulator calls SPD and asks for
someone there to please bring a needed instrument as soon as
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