Call Secrets of the OR- Keeping up with the Joneses, Dr. Jones that is

Call is my job and has been for nearly 4 years, since December 2021.

In that time, many surgeons have come and gone.

There have also been many different pieces of equipment that may be useful at night that have been introduced to the OR.

There have been many changes to the instrument sets.

There have been many changes to the type and style of suture that are kept on site.

There have been many misguided re-working of the OR core. The general cart specifically.

There’s even been a brand new robot introduced into my OR.

Guess what?

Even with all of these changes I am expected to still know everything.

When a surgeon asks for a certain piece of sterile supply, an AbThera, I am required to know where it is. And when I convince the surgeon that no such thing lives in this OR because it doesn’t match our negative pressure wound machine, I have to be able to trouble shoot Macgyvering or cobbling together a facsimile of available sterile supplies. While we are putting our Frankenstein dressing on, I am required to listen to the surgeon bitch about the department not having such a thing. After all downtown’s hospital has it. The why doesn’t this hospital is sometimes silent, most likely not.

Sigh.

The point of this post is that it takes a lot of time and effort to keep up with the various changes to the operating room. But also not look I’m struggling when I can’t find the exact thing the surgeon is asking for. Kind of like Ginger Rogers dancing all the dances with Fred Astaire; only backward in heels.

I just have to bear in mind that the surgeon and I are united in our desire to provide the best care for the patient currently on the table.

Sometimes that requires a little imagination. And a little homework.

In order to keep up with the Dr. Joneses, I tour the OR when I am there and make note of the changes. Because, you know, no one is going to loop me in.

I read my work email nearly every day, looking for policy changes.

I attend the staff meetings when I am able.

I ask questions.

Just keeping up with the Joneses (department changes) can be a full time job.

Good thing I am built for this position.