Thursday, April 05, 2007

working on the HDU's been getting busier and busier by the day, although still much better compared to my last term. there's no one to tell me to do this and that, 'NOW'! and even when the monitors are going off simutaneously (tachycardic, desaturation... even asystole), i don't feel like being pursued by everyone at one time. the patients are on the monitor because they weren't doing well. if any vital signs go off, it's usually expected and not much can be done. i feel comfortable that the med reg knows i'm looking after sick patients and...

(whooooRAY! just got a page and the nurse apologised for paging me by mistake! that's the most forgivable kind of mistake in my book!)

although there's a lot i don't understand, eg BiPAP machine settings, etc. at least the patients generally have different things wrong with them, and have relatively interesting pathology.

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just had to tell some family that their father has passed away. i was just speaking to the patient 5 minutes ago, and although he was ill, he was responsive and following commands. but all of a sudden he went in the asystole. there was nothing i could do. he was not for CPR/inotropes/intubation. could only stand there and let him die. the daughter nearly broke down when i told her that he'd just passed away. i felt some remorse just for a few moments and it was gone. WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?!?! I haven't been doing this job for that long! =(

posted by zhinger @ 6:21 am

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