Had my first cranky surgeon today.....

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Specializes in OR.

as a circulator, that is. I was putting in a Foley on a 19 year old male hernia patient. The patient was under general because the hernia was going to be repaired laparoscopically. Now this doc is basically a good person but he is high strung-basically a stroke waiting to happen(when he gets mad, he turns beet red and this funny little vein pops out on his forehead!:lol2: ) He comes into the room and the CRNA ticked him off right away because she used an LMA rather than intubating him(the surgeon wanted him paralyzed) Anyway, I'm unable to advance the foley because I'm meeting serious resistance and have always been taught not to force it. He proceeds to elbow me out of the way. Ha Ha, he couldn't get it right away either. He had to put some lidocaine jelly down there and spent a good five to ten minutes trying to catheterize him. Long story short, afterward he admitted that it was a hard foley and that I was right not to force the catheter. I was so close to saying "Dude, you should really start drinking decaf" but I held my tongue.;)

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Specializes in L&D, QI, Public Health.

Ha Ha. You really handled that well. I don't take to elbowing too kindly. Surgeon or not.

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Specializes in OR.

Me neither- no actual contact was made but he's kind of a big guy with a big belly so he just kind of bustled over and I got out of the way. I can be dramatic in my writing sometimes...

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I'm surprised Discovery Health Channel hasn't started a series titled: Drama: Life in the OR! :lol2:

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

Or how about "Docs Behaving Badly"??

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Why in heavens name would a surgeom want a pt. paralyzed for a hernia repair? A good sedation is enough to relax those abdominal muscles. If not, you can always intubate later.

I have seen hernias done under conscious sedation. All depending on the surgeon's skill of course.

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Specializes in OR.

This surgery was done laparoscopically-typically, a patient always receives general anethesia for a laparoscopic case. He was working in a very small area(used the balloon expander trocar) and the paralysis would have helped with exposure since he was a young muscular guy. These cases differ from an open hernia repair-most of those do get done under sedation. I know several "old school" types of surgeons who don't even do laparoscopic hernias or appys. The recovery time for a lap hernia is supposed to be shorter and less painful so many surgeons see them as a good option for someone young, who works and/or has an active lifestyle. Also, this doc is a good surgeon-just a little hyper. Plus, he did apologize for being a tool(not his word!)

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Specializes in L&D, QI, Public Health.
This surgery was done laparoscopically-typically, a patient always receives general anethesia for a laparoscopic case. He was working in a very small area(used the balloon expander trocar) and the paralysis would have helped with exposure since he was a young muscular guy. These cases differ from an open hernia repair-most of those do get done under sedation. I know several "old school" types of surgeons who don't even do laparoscopic hernias or appys. The recovery time for a lap hernia is supposed to be shorter and less painful so many surgeons see them as a good option for someone young, who works and/or has an active lifestyle. Also, this doc is a good surgeon-just a little hyper. Plus, he did apologize for being a tool(not his word!)

Well, I still admire how you handled it. I think it's great to look at it humorously and not take it personal. I'm kind of sensitive, so I hope I will survive through nursing school and my first year of nursing. Pray for me.

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