First day of clinical!

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:eek: Tomorrow is my first day of clinicals in anesthesia school! I have these mixed emotions of excitement and pure terror. Can anyone share some stories to make me laugh? I know the CRNAs and MDAs will not expect a whole lot from me on my first day, but that does little to ease my anxiety. I've never really worked in the O.R. before, but I hear it can be quite intimidating.

Any words of Wisdom?

If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane. - Jimmy Buffett
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jay, i do not start until january - but i can say i feel your anxiety....i hope all goes well - my clinical advisor gave me a few words of advice - be quiet (unless asked), listen and learn

they also recommended that i carry a small pocket notebook and write down things that the crna's like

for ex. this crna likes these meds, this other one likes these meds, this one likes the eyes taped on this side....

she said that once you are told, you are expected to remember.... good luck, let me know how it goes - perhaps you can tame my anxiety...

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Ah yes, the old pocket notebook. Otherwise known as the SRNAs auxillary brain. A very useful technique in my time. But I thought it had been replaced by the modern high tech PDA!

I still use my notebook, although it is in its third or fourth edition. When I learn or develop a "recipie" that I like, I write it down. Or particular things about a surgeon's individual routine. My cheat sheet for pediatric dosing, and equipment size. New drug doseages. Old drug doseages that I might forget.

It is great if you cover multiple ORs. When I worked the same place for years, I didn't need to refer to it much. But when I started moving around, doing more variety of cases, it was a great reference. I might get a case that I hadn't done in a long time, so my notes would jog my memory of the significant issues of the case and/or anesthetic.

IMO, there is no available handbook that can substitute for my personalized version. There is lots of stuff I "collected" in school that is still useful to me. Not the stuff about which way to tape the eyes when you are working with John Doe, CRNA. It is a shame SRNAs have to put up with that. But ya do what ya gotta do to get through school. Later you can trash that picky stuff, and just keep the important stuff.

loisane crna

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loisane,

you always have very beneficial posts - i start in january - so keep typing hints (i am already soooo anxious) i appreciate all the help i can get

and of course will try to help others when i am in the position to do so......:D

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Well, the first two days of clinical are over and I'm still alive! Overall I'd say it went quite well. I did a lot of charting, pushing meds (except induction), and LOTS OF LISTENING AND LEARNING!!! My patients were morbidly obese so I didn't get to try intubating yet, maybe tomorrow. I learned so much my head is spinning. Unfortunatly, as stated in other posts, I can already see how it will be difficult to work with different crna's when each one does certain things differently. It is similar to ICU nurses who each have their own pet peeves, so I hope I can adapt. The little notebook is a good idea, I have been writing down not only preferences, but also certain concepts or meds I need to review (not to mention my locker combination!)

Good Luck to everyone - We WILL get through this!!

Jay

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