Guiding principle for evenings

Early, early on a morning, think 0200, I put in for a transport request for a patient who needed emergent surgery.

A patient who happened to be on the floor.

Next I picked the case, spread the case.

No patient.

Consents and other paperwork were pulled.

No patient.

The scrub tech arrived.

No patient.

I didn’t think there was that much competition for transport at 0200.

I was wrong.

I called the transport center.

The patient was 4th in line.

That’s not what the computer says, but whatever.

And the first in line, the transporter had been delayed on the floor by 20 minutes for an unknown reason.

I flattened my lips and interrupted the transport center to tell the to cancel the transport.

That I would be going up to get the patient myself.

I waved over the surgeon, who had peeked his head in to see if the patient had arrived.

Using short, pithy phrases I told him that he and I would be going to get the patient.

Because transport takes too long and the patient was 4th in line with an unknown 20 minute delay.

We went up to the floor to get the patient and brought them down to prep them.

So they could have the emergent surgery they needed to save their life.

The guiding principle of the evening shift is needs must.

This means if an action is needed, it will be done, within the boundaries of my license.

Not within the boundaries of my job description.