A Resident's Life

This is a blog about my trials and tribulations as I complete my residency.

Saturday, April 23, 2005

Stretched too thin

I was really glad that we took some time off earlier in the month, but Man! Am I ever paying for it now! I will have done an entire month worth of call (7) in about 16 days or so. That means there was quite a big stretch where I was doing 1:2 call. Not fun, and it isn't over yet. I still have until Tuesday. I learn a lot on call, don't get me wrong, but the learning stops at 4:00 am and there has been a lot of those nights. Normally, I don't have bad call and I usually get a few hours of sleep. Not so recently. On Sunday night we worked in the regular OR until 11:00 pm, then there were a few epidurals to do, then an emergent c-section, and then at 2:00 am just as I was drifting off to sleep, there was a crashing patient who needed emergent heart surgery. We didn't finish until 8:00 am when it was time to go home. Then on Wednesday, we worked in the regular OR ALL NIGHT. I never even saw my call room! That has never happened before. Then last night we worked until 4:00 am and just as I was drifting off to sleep, there was a call from the ICU resident to come help with an intubation. I had about 1 and a half hours of sleep last night. Just enough to tide me over for our full day conference held at the hospital. Luckily, I was able to jump in the shower at the hospital (that makes all the difference!). Then, tomorrow is our resident research competition, and on call again. Only to have to do it all over again on Tuesday.
As such, I have felt very stretched. I feel like I am not on top of my game. I feel like I don't have time to shit let alone study, or start on my research. The case study that I am presenting has all but consumed me in the last week, and I have done nothing else.
Jurgen is also doing a ton of call. I feel like the only time we ever see each other is when we are handing over the trauma pager. Is this what the life of two anesthesiologists is going to be like? I sure hope not.
I also feel like I suck. I don't know whether it is just being tired, or what, but I feel like the worst resident ever! I guess I just need an evaluation. Someone to just tell me that I am doing OK. Not a superstar, just OK.
On a good note, May is much better. My call, although the same number, is better spaced. I even get to take a long weekend in which I will be travelling to the city of my birth to visit with some of the best people in the world! So looking forward to that!
Then in June, we have a conference in Vancouver. That will be a lot of fun!
Then in July and August, Hornby Island, and my brother's wedding.
Lots to look forward to, I just have to make it through the next three days and everything will go back to normal.

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