Clinical mistakes

I don’t really know who I am writing this for but you know me, when I notice something, it has to be said :P Also I thought it best not to mention any names of the people who this is directed at. In any event, it’s very unlikely that the he/she concerned will ever read this blog, but I still believe it is better to be safe than sorry. So what did I learn from my clinical placement...

1) Never argue with a patient. It makes you look very unprofessional plus the patient will think you are an arse no matter how sick they may be. It’s true.

2) Don’t annoy the staff. As a medic try not to annoy everyone else you will have to work with whether it is the nurses, technicians, care workers etc. However if you love making your life as difficult as possible then please fire away with the disrespect!

3) Puctuality. Try and show up on time for shifts/appointments etc. If you’re running late let them know as you are being unprofessional and uncourteous otherwise. Also don’t try to lie about why you are late, because a medic, people will look towards you for trust and honesty. Those same people can also tell when you are lying and totally see through your BS. Result - congrats on making a bad impression.

4) Laziness. Clearly if you’ve made it this far, there must be some hope. Don’t rely on other to do things for you, instead get stuck in and do it yourself. You learn quicker and earn the respect of others around you. By being a slacker, you do the complete opposite and all that time studying in med school goes to waste.

5) Suck up. In the medical world, you respect your seniors; it’s an unwritten rule and there is a hierarchy that is followed and goes something like this... (top) Consultant > SHO > HO > F1> Med student (bottom). To move up this chain, a lot of people suck up to seniors. I get it, I get; it has to be done, but must you do it so blatantly? Urgh!

6) Communication. Not telling other team members (doctor’s/nurses etc) what you have found can lead to problems for the patient and for yourself. If you spot something serious or haven’t relayed vital information back to the appropriate people, then it can lead to some serious hassles.

7) Correct authorisation. Don’t attempt to do things that you have not been assigned or allowed to do. It may cause problems for the patients (legal issues?!) but it will also without a doubt cause problems between you with your supervisor.

8) Fudging it. Don’t make stuff up because it fits in with your study hypothesis or because you forgot to take a patient observation and you need to make up for lost time. Again it makes you look unreliable and incompetent.

9) Know your surroundings. A hospital is a place full of ill people. Obvious I know but when you spend so much time in one place, it easy to forget sometimes. This also applies to your appearance; dress appropriately and smartly – we’re no longer in lecture halls but actually interacting with real patients. Play you part accordingly.

10) Err....

Unfortunately I don’t have a number 10 at this moment in time, but if you think of anymore then please feel free to add them on.