Sunday, January 10, 2010

Everything I ever learned about surviving being on-call came from "Meet the Robinsons"

Keep moving forward.
Keep moving forward.
Keep moving forward.
Keep moving forward.
Keep moving forward.
Keep moving forward.
Keep moving forward.
Keep moving forward.
Keep moving forward.
Keep moving forward.

(Oh yeah, and eat when you can/sleep when you can, from the Science Marches on Department).

14 comments:

thegooddrlaura said...

I'll be sharing this with my medical students.

Gert said...

That is so true!

I was on-call for our hospice/home health when I received a call at 3 AM. As soon as I answered the call, a man shouted into the phone "WHY CAN'T I SLEEP?!".

Uh, how about, I don't know?

KateA said...

My head nurse sings the "Just Keep Swimming" thing from Nemo. Since you have kids, I am sure you are familiar with this. Of course, with 5 rooms full of patients that have been waiting 3 hours, 4 polytraumas in the back, and a seizure case on its way being triages straight to the back, it is hard to be very positive. I wish I had the luxury of being able to call in a surgeon, a neurologist, and have a separate radiology department, but vets have to do it all.
I love it when the completely stable vomiting case is complaining, claiming that Pookie is getting less stable by the minute. What evs!

ERP said...

And you forgot. Shit when you can.

Grumpy, M.D. said...

ERP- I thought of that, but was trying maintain decorum.

Dragonfly said...

I shall remember that. I will have my chance to put it into practice all too soon.

Grumpy, M.D. said...

Yeah, the "Just keep swimming" song is another good example.

John Woolman said...

i remember the advice some a couple of years ahead of me in medical school gave about dealing with long hours on take - based on the Duke of Wellington's advice to a young officer*; "Never lose an opportunity to fill your belly, empty your bowels or sleep with a staff nurse". Not working in "The House of God" (just the Scottish equivalent) the final third of that advice was not totally applicable.

*"never lose an opportunity to fill your belly, empty your bowels or water your horses".

terri c said...

The story of this weekend, for me! Thanks!

thegooddrlaura said...

"If nobody is coding or delivering, you have time to pee."

Kimbra Kasch said...

Never been on-call - think that would be . . . ughhh

Outrider said...

"never lose an opportunity to fill your belly, empty your bowels or water your horses".

LOL - those of us who practice equine medicine still find this totally applicable.

(Hoping I won't be paged tonight because I'll freeze my @$$ off.)

ERP said...

OK. Sorry. POOP when you can.

charmcity said...

I was on call this weekend too.

Answering Service: "The lady says she's in withdrawal, and needs "Zantacks'".
Me: Hmmm. Calls pt, leaves message on machine, essentially "No".
Several hours later, the same lady calls back. Ok, let's bring it on.
"Yes, someone left a message about Xanax? But I ran out of Chantix!"

Whoops. Beg your pardon.

 
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