Tis the season for new docs

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Well it's that time of year again....July. Those of you who work in a teaching hospital know that the new MD interns start this month. Ours started yesterday...already have had some good stories and crazy orders happen. So in the interest of a little humor, let's hear some experiences with teaching/guiding the new residents.:jester:

I had an intern order a fluid challenge on a 4 month old....no biggie. He wanted me to give the child 10 ml Pedialyte every 5 minutes for 30 minutes. "Shall I carry the baby with me while working the head trauma that just rolled into my trauma room?":uhoh3:

Specializes in ER, Pedi ER, Trauma, Clinical Education.

Yes, July has come, complete with its share of interesting orders. I will say that I have noticed that some of the new interns are getting much better as days go on as not being as "I am the doctor, you are the nurse" when they first come on the floor. Of course, being in an ER which has a lot of standing protocols (written and unwritten) and having a great team of ER attendings really helps with our "street cred." But there is progress, they are at least recognizing that they are part of a team, not the Master of the Universe.

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Specializes in Emergency nursing.

Had a lady come in for nausea/vomiting x 3 days. For initial fluids, the intern ordered D51/2 with 20 KCL @ 125 ml/hr and Tylenol 650 mg PO. Because I had already seen the pt, I had already gotten an order for Zofran from the chief resident and had started an IV, drawn labs, and hung an NS bolus. The intern came out to the desk looking for the nurse who had hung the wrong fluids. I pointed out to her that she had ordered a dextrose solution with potassium without knowing the pt's potassium or glucose and before seeing the pt to know past medical history. Her response was "Ohhh...yeah...maybe we should stick with the NS. Thanks for looking out for me." I just smiled, wanting to tell her "I wasn't looking out for you, I was looking out for the pt".

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.
"kcl 40 meq iv push" on a 98 year old lady with a k+ of 3.8, no ectopy and a 22 g. in her hand.

similar thing last night: kcl 20meq ivp for pt in dka (at least he got the insulin order right)

what are they learning in med school nowadays?????

also, when i told him he better change the order or he and the patient won't be around much longer, the idiot insisted that the order stands, that it is an 'accepted practice...if you don't want to do it i'll just have to'. told knitwit, 'accepted practice only if you are a vet putting an animal down' got his & the attendings attention with that one... :banghead:

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No interesting orders yet but interesting personalities. one "Doogie" on his first day walked into our breakroom plopped down in a chair and said "I don't have anything to do right now. I thought I would take a break and talk to you guys,". Really an intern with nothing to do? After we all picked our jaws up, I said "forget your Ritalin today?" He laughed and said he wasn't on meds that he liked the way he was. He then launched into a long history of his ADD and by the way how did I know so quickly? DUH! :uhoh3:

If he wasn't so cute and cuddley (and young enough to be my son) it would be a longer month.

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Specializes in med/surg, rural, ER.
Also, when I told him he better change the order or he and the patient won't be around much longer, the idiot insisted that the order stands, that it is an 'accepted practice...if you don't want to do it I'll just have to'. Told knitwit, 'accepted practice only if you are a vet putting an animal down' Got his & the attendings attention with that one... :banghead:

:lol2: great response! :lol2:

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

We agree to start a propofol drip on a vented patient. I ask what dosage he wants to start with. His reply: "Oh, I don't know, don't we just keep giving them more until they're sedated enough?"

Let's pick a number & write it on the order sheet, shall we ...?? ;)

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Specializes in Peds ED, Peds Stem Cell Transplant, Peds.

This happened 2 years ago, but I had one doctor wanting to give IV antibiotics to a teenager that was neutropenic, via a pnut. I explained I should give her a bolus of fluids before so her B/P wouldn't plummit. He insisted she was fine because she is up walking to restroom without any problem. I told him "No" she isn't. once those endotoxins kick in her B/P would drop. He kept refusing to order it , because her B/p starting out was 92/50 I started the NS bolous anyway, knowing full well my attending would back me up. The patient even after 3 bolus's and 15mcg/kg dopamine drip went to the PICU with a B/P 80/38. Nevertheless, after that the resident never questioned anything I said and thanked me for saving his butt.

My pet peeve is that the newbies came in acting like teeny boppers and that they are your best friend. They are so annoying, :trout:or maybe I am just getting old.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

Have you noticed the shorter these doogies are the more pompous they are.

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Specializes in acute care.

sigh! I can't wait to start clinicals next year so that I can FINALLY understand what you guys are talking about. :lol2:

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Specializes in ICU, Agency, Travel, Pediatric Home Care, LTAC, Su.
Similar thing last night: KCL 20mEq IVP for pt in DKA (at least he got the insulin order right)

What are they learning in med school nowadays?????

Also, when I told him he better change the order or he and the patient won't be around much longer, the idiot insisted that the order stands, that it is an 'accepted practice...if you don't want to do it I'll just have to'. Told knitwit, 'accepted practice only if you are a vet putting an animal down' Got his & the attendings attention with that one... :banghead:

That is SCARY as he**. I think I would have had a long chat with admin over that one.

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Specializes in ICU, Agency, Travel, Pediatric Home Care, LTAC, Su.
Have you noticed the shorter these doogies are the more pompous they are.

That is short man syndrome. I won't go into my theory that involves the length of a certain part of the male anatomy......... Sorry been a long night of not sleeping much.

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My pet peeve is that the newbies came in acting like teeny boppers and that they are your best friend. They are so annoying, :trout:or maybe I am just getting old.

No, it's not an old-age thing. I'm young and I find it irritating, too.;)

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