For me, today was that big day in the life of any medical student when I met my first patient. Ok, so all I did was take a history, but it was big a big day for me. Obviously I can't say anything about this patient (HIPAA, your secrets are safe with me!), but I probably can tell you what I experienced.
First, I didn't totally know until this afternoon that I was going to be taking a real history today (its a part of my Intro to Clinical Medicine class, and the schedule for that is one of the great mysteries of the universe). Second--and probably more important--I've never done a history before, and also, I hadn't really ever been taught how to do it.
So, you can imagine my fear and trepidation (actually fear may be a bit of a strong word, but you get the point). In the end though, it did all work out. Everybody in my class met over at the hospital, in their auditorium, and there we got a crash course in history taking from our (crazy Italian) instructor. Seriously, it was less than an hour. But it really was a good lesson, because after that we went up to one of the wards and took patient histories, and for the record, I think I did quite well.
To be honest, it was a little nerve-wracking just walking in to a total stranger's room and basically saying "please tell me everything about your life", but it ended up alright. Turns out all you have to do is ask questions and listen...
After taking the history, the next step was to learn how to present a history. So we went back down to the auditorium, and got another crash course on that, and then I had to present my patient's history to one of the residents that was helping teach us. Apparently I did alright. Actually, all in all it was a real good experience. Not necessarily the the easiest thing I've ever done, but I think I did alright for my first time, and with practice I'm sure I'll get the hang of it.
In other news, I have a joke for you all... So, G, A# and D walk into a bar, and say to the bartender, "We want some drinks." But then the bartender says, "We don't serve minors here."
MAZEL TOV! Let's hear it for clinical time.
ReplyDeleteAlso, nice joke, although Bb would be more technically correct, I think.
Yeah, invading people's personal space was hard for me to do when I first started working with actual patients, although my first REAL introduction to working in peoples' personal space is funny, but sort of disgusting. In nursing school, you don't start off by taking histories, you start by wiping butts, and believe it or not there is a right and a wrong way to do it. Enough said.