My nerves almost got the better of me during my first real patient case. The dummies may not have had blood flowing through them but they had a pulse, human reactions and real problems. This was the first time I was faced with a patient that was not just on paper. The excitement of working with other students as part of a medical team eased my anxiety. The experience taught me a great deal about the importance of team work in the medical setting, helped me to understand my own competencies and realize the areas of study that I still needed to work on.
The simulation felt real as the patient was lifelike, the problems were realistic and the environment set as any other clinical setting. The experience of working with other student as a medical team was encouraging. It was inspiring to see how each student took part in the simulation with a serious focus and a similar objective, to learn as much as he or she could. The brief moments that we all talked before the simulation were enough to make us comfortable with one another and realize the importance of cooperation as medical professionals. After some quite murmurs or blank stares the team quickly understood that clear communication was the only way we would all get through the case. At various points throughout the simulation, students relied on one another for help, guidance and support. For example, the team leader relied on people not only to follow his requests but he looked to each team member for suggestions. When working with many individuals in a high stress situation, it becomes incredibly obvious how much more effective many minds are then one. If one student had a question, another one would give the answer or help find it out. The superior team interaction was almost effortless which was crucial to the success of our simulation.
Before starting the experience, I did not fear working with a team of professionals, instead I was nervous that I would be the least competent or would in some way let my team down. The experience changed my perceptions slightly because no one student had to know all the answers, hence the reason for the TEAMS. I did not feel extremely confident in my ability to remember dosages for such medicines as morphine or Zofran; however, I knew where to look them up and that was good enough for the team. I assisted in ways I never thought I would when I suggested administering fluids for the patient, whose blood pressure was dropping drastically, or when I had to help hold the patient up so to protect him from aspirating to death. The experience taught me competence does not just mean how much information someone can remember but competence is the ability to problem solve effectively.
The simulation allowed me the opportunity to see what areas of study I still needed to work on. Memorizing every drug and every dose may work for some but as I learned through our debriefing session, practicing the judgment of when to give or not give a drug is just as important as knowing about the medication itself. I feel comfortable in my abilities to reference materials but I believe that I still need to work on medication recognition (brand and generic) based on indications as well as defending the use of one medication over another.
Overall the simulation provided a tremendous learning experience that I look forward to again next semester. It demonstrated how critical communication and team work are when providing comprehensive health care. The situation brought to light some of the strengths and weaknesses to focus on as I continue my education.
2 comments:
Just like in your simulation, in the real world-we depend on others to "inspire" our brains into thinking more clearly, more focused, more openly. You don't have to know everything, you just have to be open to learning, asking lots of questions, and being inspired by your patients.
My clients are the best teachers-its on-the-job training at its finest.
Not a single person in this world knows everything, although many claim to. TEAMS are so important not only in the medical field, but in all fields,all aspects of life. TEAMS help us clear up our thinking, help guide us through reasoning, they are there to contribute what they can to make the situation better. All you can do in life is be open to learning and to understanding. We constantly have to keep learning to better ourselves! Just stay excited, want to learn, even when you are done with school. You will be that vital element of any TEAM!
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