Index Title: RDELEON's Medical anecdotal Report [04-6]

MAR Title: When Duty Calls!

Date of Medical Observation: August 15, 2004

Narration:

            It was a Sunday and being on a preduty status, I had my weekend off. I was resting that time when a co-resident of mine, Dr. Guerra texted me and informed me that Dr. Joson called and was looking for me and asked me to give him a call.

            Upon receiving Dr Guerra’s message, I called Dr Joson at home and I was inform that I have to pass the data that I have for the research paper of Mortality and Morbidity that night.  Knowing I have all the data I needed in my Compact Disk, I decided to pass it late that afternoon.  I went thru my routine at home since it was  a Sunday.

            When it was time for me to do my assignment, as I prepare the data that I had to pass, I found out that all the data stored in the CD can’t be open in my computer. So I decided to go to the hospital since my back-up files were at the computer room.  I hurriedly packed my bag to go to the hospital and knowing it was late I decided that I will spend the night in the hospital.

            When I arrived at the hospital I dediced to passed by the trauma to  place my thing at the trauma quarter. I noticed that the surgery-trauma ER was jampacked with patients. There were patients that were stabbed and other patients with bleeding all over there faces due to mauling. I also noted that the emergency room was manned by our 2 first year residents, Dr Guerra and Dra Medina. I learned that all the senior was at the operating room doing 2 emergency exploratory laparotomy. 

            Looking at the present situation at the emergency room, without hesitation, I helped my co-residents eventhough I was not on duty. I helped our two first year in some of the decision making and stayed to man the ER.  Dr Guerra and Dra Medina were examining a patient with a stab wound on the epigastric area. I examined the patient and on examination, their were peritoneal signs and the blood pressure was unstabl based on the physical findings we concluded that the patient warrants an exploratory laparotomy.  We informed the operating room the we are directing the patient to the OR and fortunately  Dra Leyson just finished in operating a patient and she will be the one to do the patient that we called.

            I stayed around the ER and when Dr Padua came down the ER he asked me to stay and man the ER until Dra Leyson finish her procedure.  So I stayed around and helped at the trauma.  When Dra Leyson was finished with her operation she manned the ER and I proceeded in the computer room to do my assignment that Dr Joson asked. Despite the fact that it was late I was able to pass the data.

Insights (Discovery, Stimulus, REINFORCEMENT):

            With this experience I learned so many things. For one, when asked to do a tasked, despite being a Sunday, it should be done as soon as possible for we will  never know how important that task is.

            In training, regardless if your on duty or not, when duty calls, you should be able to respond in all times.  It is a part of our training to help others despite the fact that there are other things to be done, for in helping we become a respondsible individual. As a second year resident, it is my responsibility to help the first year residents and guide them in decision making. It is also my duty to help my seniors without being asked.

            In this small institution, co-residents are not just co-workers but they become a part of you, a friend. And being a friend, you don’t wait until you are asked to help, you help because you know that help is needed, you give a hand to ease things for a friend.

            Being a doctor doesn’t start and end in the hospital. I will always be a doctor regardless where I will be, at home or at the streets. On duty or off duty.