Jan 19 2009

Paging the doctor tonight…

Published by nurseSF at under So this is nursing...

It’s 10 o’clock at night.

Me: Hello, patient Smith in 5323 requests Colace before she goes to sleep.

MD: You’re paging me at night for Colace?2301892174_0be8e76136_m.jpg

Me: [shit]. Uh, yes, it was D/C’d this morning because of soft stools the last couple days, but the patient wants Colace now.

MD (voice incredulous, a bit stern):  You’re paging me at night for Colace? Is it a medical emergency?

Me: Uh, I know it’s not an emergency…but… [absolutely no excuses in my head]

MD: You should only be paging at night for medical emergencies.

Me: I see. Uh, I’m new. I thought it was OK to get a verbal order.

MD (voice softens or sounds amused): It’s OK. Just tell the patient the day team probably had a reason to D/C the Colace so they’ll talk to her tomorrow.

Me: OK, thanks. Boy, I’m going to remember this one. Ha ha.

MD: Do you need my name?

Me: No, it’s OK.

MD: Yes, you do. You need my name. It’s Jones.

Me [let me go away fast as I can]: OK, thanks, good night.

Alright, please laugh. I’m not too proud to look dumb a few times (this might be the 20th time). I’d laugh if I wasn’t so mortified, because I’m still wondering whether I paged him at home. I thought I was paging a doctor on-call in the hospital, if that makes this situation any less embarassing. I’m still completely clueless about many, many protocols and dynamics in the hospital. No one ever told me when to call or not, because every time I’ve needed an order, my colleagues have said, “Page the doctor.” So, I did!

I cannot wait to pass this phase where I don’t know crap.

Viewing 4 Comments

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    wow. can i just gush how ecstatic i am to have discovered this gem of a blog and all you fellow peers leaving replies?? i too am in this awful limbo-landia of having been admitted to a program (also columbia loren!) and still hoping and waiting on ucsf.. but knowing that there are some like-spirited souls out there who didn't take the straight course to becoming an NP is truly putting some wind back in my sails (i've recently been wanting to forget the whole waiting game and just go farm somewhere)!

    thanks to you ALL!!
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    hey you,
    (i'm the prospective ucsf/mepn/fnp/etc.etc. applicant-friend-of-surfer-sara's you coached on interviewing at sara's party several weeks ago. months? maybe it was months. eek. in any case, i was really grateful for your interview tips! see outside parenthetical for how much i appreciate other stuff too-->) i've been devouring your blog like mad! it's amazing. i have to say, this embarrassing shit is super reassuring, in a sort of clairvoyant way for me. i guess i'm coming to terms with the fact that, regardless of whether i get into ucsf, i'm gonna be doing this accelerated ass-kicking humility program (just heard i was admitted to columbia. woot. i mean, shit, this is happening!), and your blog is making my future self feel much better. wow. also, making my present self giggle.
    sounds like the doc was at least mildly amused, and in this business, well, maybe you gave him something more valuable than just an inconvenient phone call.
    all this to say, thanks. this rawks.
    xoxo,
    loren
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    • v
    ^_^ the photograph captures this entry well.
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    • v
    you're learning! that's okay, like you said--you'll never do that again:)
 
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