In One End, In the Other

Today I looked at people from one end to the other, quite literally. The endoscopy lab was pretty interesting. They were very busy when I got up to the floor and didn’t really have time to do anything with me until about 7:15 when the procedures started. Hindsight being what it is, I wish I had been more proactive in admitting patients with one of the RN’s. Not that there was very much to do with admitting patients to the endoscopy lab, but I would have at least observed a couple of lines started. The unit manager was pretty good about keeping me in a room all morning. He first led me to a colonoscopy. I was really surprised at how small the procedure room was. I had always thought that it would something like an operating room, but it was more like a large doctors’ office. I was able to watch the monitor very easily and observe the RN and the physician without any trouble. The doctors were happy to point out any anatomy that I was interested in seeing. Surprisingly I was able to identify most of what I saw. I guess all that studying in A&P paid off. I was also able to observe a couple of EGD’s and EUS’s. During the EUS the physician pointed out the anatomy on the sonogram for me. While I didn’t really “see” the organs he was pointing out, I can see how if you view the sonograms enough you would be able to point out landmarks and visualize the various organs. The thing I really wish would have happened more (in all of my on site training) is narrative of what was going on, what we are seeing, what we are looking for during these procedures. I hope that when I have a job as an RN and I have students around that I am able to teach while I work. I understand that the doctors and nurses are busy, but it doesn’t really take that much effort to take the reigns and help the students learn about what is going on. One of the doctors did this for me during one of the procedures today and it was really helpful. I know that I can ask questions, but sometimes I am not sure what to ask or I am not sure if it is a good time to ask questions. I suppose some people are natural teachers and some are not. As a student, you just have to hope for the best.

Overall, today was productive in that I was able to see many of the diagnostic procedures that I have studied in the texts. It is good to really know what happens now.