Sometimes I feel like all I relate lately revolves around work, but honestly that’s where I’ve spent most of my time recently. Therefore, I think it’s appropriate to share a little about what I’ve been learning there. Keep reading to find out…
1. Complaining is not productive. You can complain and gripe and rant about the injustices of the system and you can still not achieve anything productive. This view comes from an employee/fellow co-worker stance. I work with some people who always talk as if they are the victim when it comes to what patients they see, when they see them, the time constraints, etc. However, I’ve observed much more gets accomplished when less talking and more acting occurs. At times, it’s difficult to remain positive and optimistic when surrounded by Johnny Raincloud and Debbie Downer, but I continue to try to keep a bright outlook on the situation.
2. People lie. No duh! That's a no brainer, right? Well, this one has been more difficult for me to embrace and I believe I know the reason. My entire life I’ve been surrounded by my Christian family, friends, school, etc. where principles and values such as honesty and integrity are upheld and assumed. My reality thus far has proven that people have good and decent intentions and are telling the truth. But the more I’m at the ER, the more I’ve had to come to grips with the fact that people are sinners, manipulative, addicted, and violent. They come seeking relief from pain and consequences and will do whatever they deem necessary to obtain it. It’s difficult for me to change my mindset to constantly consider that someone is trying to deceive me. I’m still not incredibly successful in this area, but I’m sure I will continue to improve as I work.
3. Having initials behind your name (M.D., D.O., P.A., N.P., etc.) does not exempt you from common courtesy. Now that I’ve been at the ER for several months, I’m beginning to be able to evaluate which practioners I admire and respect and which ones I don’t want to model my career after. There is one particular doctor who is always kind to those “beneath” him. He lets you pass before him instead of running you over; he says thank you when you do something for him EVERY time instead of not even acknowledging your presence; he laughs with his patients; he comforts those who are grieving; he gracefully handles fellow co-workers’ and his own frustrations; and he doesn’t (at least publicly) indulge in the gossip circle so prevalent in any work setting.
4. Never assume anything. I’ve learned the hard way that this lesson should be taken to heart. Just when I think it’s safe to assume something, I end up wishing I hadn’t. For example, assuming that surgery knows you’re coming since the nurse just called up with a report and therefore not calling…but being directed to the wrong surgery waiting area and causing a whole lot of unnecessary chaos, panic, and stress. Or that the computer tells the truth – a room is marked clean so we move a patient there…only to find out it’s not just dirty but trashed. Or thinking someone was just correcting the pronunciation of their name when you call them back…only to learn that the wrong patient answered and was mistakenly roomed. All of the tedious, detailed protocol that we have to follow saves us from making these careless mistakes. There are no corners to cut when it comes to emergency medicine. And this unit only functions well when everyone works together this way.
So, there you have it: my latest revelations about life. There are so many things that I’m learning. Although, at times, it seems like I’m so far away from what I actually enjoy (the medicine part), I am learning highly valuable interpersonal skills such as teamwork, communication, conflict resolution, effective resource utilization, and good patient interaction. And, on that note, I’m going to wrap this post up. I have one more day at work before having a much needed break, so I must catch some sleep.
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