First Semester Clinical Woes

heartICU · Dec 1, 2006

Question for SRNA's out there. How long did it take until you guys felt somewhat proficient at setting up your patient, establishing an airway, and managing the case with some assistance. I am in my first semester of anesthesia school, have done a few cases but feel like a lot depends on who I am working with. With certain people I do fine but with others, I feel so inept. I haven't been given the opportunity to intubate on my own, just slip in the tube and pull stylet. I know it takes time but I just want to make sure that I am on track.

How long have you been in the OR? And is your program integrated or front-loaded? When I began my program (that I am finishing in one week, WAHOO!), it took from August to about December before I noticed a significant change in my confidence level clinically. I was in an integrated program, and we were in the OR a couple days per week. It takes a few months - but it does get better.

Do you get your assignment the night before? If you do, make sure to look the patients up (medical hx, meds, etc) and call your CRNA or staff that you are working with. Not sure if this is feasible for your program, since they are all different, but it was an expectation for our program that we discuss the cases, etcup, management the night before with either our staff MD or CRNA (or if we couldn't get ahold of them, one of the faculty). Made us comfortable REAL quick.

jewelcutt · Dec 1, 2006

Sounds like you have anesthesia school down to a tee. You will definitely feel more comfortable around some CRNA's, while a total idiot around others. As for feeling proficient, it will take a very long time. You may have days when you feel like a disorganized mess, and others where you think "hey, I can do this". Don't sweat about not intubating yet, just keep asking, and believe me you'll do tons before graduation. You are definitely on the right track, keep your head up and a smile on your face.

CRNABH2b · Dec 4, 2006

Thanks for the replies. I am in a partially front loaded program. I do clinicals one day a week and oficially we should only be observing though it is encouraged to do as much as possible. We are given the assignment the night before and I do try to read on 1 or 2 of the cases as this what we have been told is expected of us. I am now beginning to realize that it will take some time to become proficient and that I shouldn't beat myself up. It's like when I started nursing, it took a while to get myself organized, efficient and proficient but it is COMPLETELY DOABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!