I have found in my short time outside of the academic world that there are two things I dread the most in late June/early July: First Year Interns (FYI's) and rattlesnakes. This has come especially into play the past couple weeks as the FYI's and baby rattlesnakes have invaded my life. I do not pretend to be an expert in this area of study. I do have some real life experience from being the NGOTB (new girl on the block) that there are ways to get to where you are going successfully, but there are many stumbling blocks along the way. My advice is novice at best, but take it or leave it.
Here are my words of wisdom when you come across either of the previously mentioned. Proceed with caution! Both can cause significant amounts of pain if handled inappropriately. When approaching a FYI or rattlesnake, size them up. Do they look distressed? Or are they calm, cool, and collected? Have they raised their heads back ready for attack? Have you had experience with this particular creature in the past or is this a first time experience? Do you have a large stick around (literally a large stick or figuratively a more experienced doctor around to back you up)? Do you have the experience needed to guide the FYI or snake to the proper destination? These are all questions you must ask before approaching either of these fine creatures.
Rattlesnakes. When they are young (yearlings) they don't know any better. They think you are a large creature that wants to eat them. They don't have the experience to hold back their venom if they decide to bite you. They put the whole amount they have stored into you.
FYI's. When they are young (yearlings) they don't know any better. They think you are a mean nurse, pharmacist, attending that wants to eat them. They don't have the experience to communicate with you properly and to see that you are trying to help them. They put the whole amount of frustration they have stored into you.
Rattlesnakes. They may learn as time goes on, but they will still end up biting you if you mess with them badly enough
FYI's. THEY LEARN! If you set them up for success, they will in turn get better and better, by the time they are third or fourth years you trust them as much as you do their attending.
My advice to the few FYI's I have met so far the past few days has been simple. If a nurse, pharmacist, attending is talking to you, it's not because we are trying to eat you. We are trying to make you better, faster, stronger, smarter. FYI's need to appear to be calm, cool, and collected....EVEN WHEN THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY ARE. A calm demeanor and collected thought process will convince us that you are listening to our concerns and you will follow up on them. ALWAYS FOLLOW UP! Don't ever let a nurse, pharmacist, attending catch you not following up on something when you said you would. This will make us angry and assume that you do not value our opinions or your patient's welfare. As time goes on, you will be able to differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate questions, updates, pages, etc. At this point of time you do not have that experience. If you come at us with your head reared back ready to bite (because Lord knows you have had four years of medical school, and damn it, you already know all this), we will most likely hit you with a very large stick. Literally or figuratively. Accept the fact, that at this point of time, we do know more than you do. Accept advice, our concern, and our suggestions knowing that we are doing this foremost for the patient and for your education. Learn names...especially your nurses! This will help you in so many ways in the future, I cannot even begin to explain to you.
Nurses, pharmacists, attending the FYI's are an excellent example of first impressions are not always the right ones. Do not judge your FYI off of one interaction. Give them the benefit of a doubt. The first few weeks are tortuous for them. Do you have the experience to guide a FYI to their proper destination? Ask yourself this before lighting into an FYI. They are there to learn and you have the responsibility to help the FYI with their communication and patient management skills. If you do not feel you have this skill set yet, learn! FYI's do not go away, they just change what they look like every July.
This is my novice advice to one and all. Remember that we are all here for the same reasons, some of us just see the big picture clearer than the rest!
Here are my words of wisdom when you come across either of the previously mentioned. Proceed with caution! Both can cause significant amounts of pain if handled inappropriately. When approaching a FYI or rattlesnake, size them up. Do they look distressed? Or are they calm, cool, and collected? Have they raised their heads back ready for attack? Have you had experience with this particular creature in the past or is this a first time experience? Do you have a large stick around (literally a large stick or figuratively a more experienced doctor around to back you up)? Do you have the experience needed to guide the FYI or snake to the proper destination? These are all questions you must ask before approaching either of these fine creatures.
Rattlesnakes. When they are young (yearlings) they don't know any better. They think you are a large creature that wants to eat them. They don't have the experience to hold back their venom if they decide to bite you. They put the whole amount they have stored into you.
FYI's. When they are young (yearlings) they don't know any better. They think you are a mean nurse, pharmacist, attending that wants to eat them. They don't have the experience to communicate with you properly and to see that you are trying to help them. They put the whole amount of frustration they have stored into you.
Rattlesnakes. They may learn as time goes on, but they will still end up biting you if you mess with them badly enough
FYI's. THEY LEARN! If you set them up for success, they will in turn get better and better, by the time they are third or fourth years you trust them as much as you do their attending.
My advice to the few FYI's I have met so far the past few days has been simple. If a nurse, pharmacist, attending is talking to you, it's not because we are trying to eat you. We are trying to make you better, faster, stronger, smarter. FYI's need to appear to be calm, cool, and collected....EVEN WHEN THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY ARE. A calm demeanor and collected thought process will convince us that you are listening to our concerns and you will follow up on them. ALWAYS FOLLOW UP! Don't ever let a nurse, pharmacist, attending catch you not following up on something when you said you would. This will make us angry and assume that you do not value our opinions or your patient's welfare. As time goes on, you will be able to differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate questions, updates, pages, etc. At this point of time you do not have that experience. If you come at us with your head reared back ready to bite (because Lord knows you have had four years of medical school, and damn it, you already know all this), we will most likely hit you with a very large stick. Literally or figuratively. Accept the fact, that at this point of time, we do know more than you do. Accept advice, our concern, and our suggestions knowing that we are doing this foremost for the patient and for your education. Learn names...especially your nurses! This will help you in so many ways in the future, I cannot even begin to explain to you.
Nurses, pharmacists, attending the FYI's are an excellent example of first impressions are not always the right ones. Do not judge your FYI off of one interaction. Give them the benefit of a doubt. The first few weeks are tortuous for them. Do you have the experience to guide a FYI to their proper destination? Ask yourself this before lighting into an FYI. They are there to learn and you have the responsibility to help the FYI with their communication and patient management skills. If you do not feel you have this skill set yet, learn! FYI's do not go away, they just change what they look like every July.
This is my novice advice to one and all. Remember that we are all here for the same reasons, some of us just see the big picture clearer than the rest!
I miss my Univ. of Utah residency friends! We should have a reunion!
View along the Madre de Dios River in the jungles of Peru.
