littledoctor Posted June 1, 2010 Report Share Posted June 1, 2010 I'm going to see a surgery tomorrow for the first time I'm really excited but I don't want to do anything embarrassing (like fainting ) I do feel a bit vagal simply from standing up too long... Advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandibular Posted June 1, 2010 Report Share Posted June 1, 2010 if you feel nauseas ( i think thats how its written) you can sit on the floor and lift your legs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 Most important thing in the OR is to maintain sterility.. so you have to know what is sterile, and if you are not sure, ask before you go near or touch something. When scrubbed in, the default position for your hands is clasped in front of you at chest level. You are not sterile above your collar or below the waist, so if you touch your face you will contaminate yourself.. Your back is also not sterile, so give a wide berth when walking past something covered in green (or face it with the front of your gown). Other than that, have fun! Compression stockings help keep the blood from pooling in your legs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerroger Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 I'm going to see a surgery tomorrow for the first timeI'm really excited but I don't want to do anything embarrassing (like fainting ) I do feel a bit vagal simply from standing up too long... Advice? Why not just excuse yourself if you feel the need. Better than causing undue fainting "issues" in the OR... Enjoy the OR! Probably some of my most memorable experiences in medicine thus far have been in the OR! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nemesis Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 ...'nauseous', but the word you're looking for is 'nauseated'. if you feel nauseas ( i think thats how its written) you can sit on the floor and lift your legs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flying kumquat Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 Remember to breathe. No, seriously, if you haven't spent much time with a surgical mask on, it's easy to breath shallowly and not really notice until you start to feel things going dark around you... That being said, if you do feel faint, feel really warm, break out in a cold sweat, or feel your vision close in on you, tell someone. Say, "Excuse me, Dr. X, I think I have to sit down for a minute." It's not ideal, but they should understand and it's better than you fainting into their sterile field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgy_guy23 Posted June 5, 2010 Report Share Posted June 5, 2010 As someone mentioned they do have compression stockings that help prevent blood pooling in your legs. I think they also have ones that look pretty much like socks/aren't horribly tacky...and apparently they are super comfortable for travelling and just wearing all the time not just during periods of endless standing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEggman Posted June 14, 2010 Report Share Posted June 14, 2010 I've had the chance to go into the OR a couple of times and my advice would definitely be to eat something before going in! +1 Big breakfast is key, massive omelet sandwich for me any time I go into the OR. I've felt faint a couple times, I find the best is to tense and release your thigh muscles and pump that blood back up to your head! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted June 21, 2010 Report Share Posted June 21, 2010 i think id skip breakfast, personally, lol... then again, ive never been in the or, maybe ill have a change of heart +1 Big breakfast is key, massive omelet sandwich for me any time I go into the OR.I've felt faint a couple times, I find the best is to tense and release your thigh muscles and pump that blood back up to your head! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLengr Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 Another good trick might be to see something relatively bloodless your first day. Lap Chole, TURP, Tubal ligation etc. That way you kind of ease yourself into it. Or you could go balls to the wall and watch a whipple's or CABG first time. Or something with unprepped bowel being opened (WORST!). I tend to shift my weight/move my feet fairly frequently in the OR, so I find I don't have too much of a problem with blood pooling or sore feet. Other tricks: Pinch the mask TIGHT around your nose if you wear glasses. Nothing is worse than fogging glasses mid operation because you can't really do anything about it. If you have a mask with a built in face shield, do the same thing with the nose, but then slip your index fingers between the mask and the shield on either side of your nose to make a little gap. That helps stop fogging too. If you even think you need to have a piss/dump, have a piss/dump before you go in. If you are operating with a runny nose, understand before starting that you will get snot all over your face, and possibly in your mouth during the operation. Make sure your scrub pants are on tight enough that they won't fall off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 Another good trick might be to see something relatively bloodless your first day. Lap Chole, TURP, Tubal ligation etc. That way you kind of ease yourself into it. Or you could go balls to the wall and watch a whipple's or CABG first time. Or something with unprepped bowel being opened (WORST!). hehehe my first was a CABG (triple bypass) followed by major facial reconstruction. It went fine but I was pushing it - you really don't know how you are going to react until you get in there and even really good surgeons sometimes started off roughly. Now if I can survive tomorrows Redo bentall I will be happy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neisseria Posted July 8, 2010 Report Share Posted July 8, 2010 there are stools in the OR, so if you can't see something, you can stand on a stool to get a better view. and as someone sai,d esp. if you aren't scrubbed in, try to keep at least 1 foot away from the sterile field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Stark Posted July 8, 2010 Report Share Posted July 8, 2010 I saw my first craniotomy/craniectomy last night and another this morning. Crazy stuff, and as usual I was fine, but I do not like the smell of hot compressed skull while the drills are going. Ugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuantum Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 I am with the eating before going in. Attending to the washroom before going in is not a bad idea as well. If you feel like fainting, just politely stand back from the sterile field and stating you feel unwell and need to excuse yourself. If you end up fainting, no biggie (unless you faint onto the patient or the surgeon), you won't have been the first and certainly won't be the last. Have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannn Posted August 6, 2010 Report Share Posted August 6, 2010 Saw my first surgeries today It was really awesome, I work with some fantastic surgeons. Remember not to piss off the OR nurses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.