More ICU

After some investigation I have found some more information about what the ICU duty actually requires us to do. We arrive at 0900 on a Monday morning looking undoubtedly scared as to what is about to happen. There will probably be a tour by our now veteran colleagues who will then go home to sleep.

During the day we will basically watch our assigned patients and care for them, mostly in a nursing role. We will administer medication, take clinical information, take them where they need to be (e.g. radiology) and try to make sure they don't die. Or else Something Bad happens.

At night we will be expected to continue caring for our patients, checking in on them every hour or so depending on their status and medications they require. My group (we are sent in groups of 4-6 people) have already decided we can share patients to give someone a required 4 hour sleep if really necessary.

Whilst we are on duty (which is basically all day & night, every day for a week) we are not allowed to leave the area in case we are required. Not too sure as yet what happens with eating, sleeping and washing, but these things are probably optional extras that will happen if we get time.

Should be fun.

ICU

Good news: The ICU rotation lists are out for next year.
Also good news: I'm in the small animal clinic from 29/12/08-5/1/09. No silly new years plans for me!

Should be fun, although sleep may be in short supply. Hopefully we will be given more information about what is going on closer to the time.

Damn Clouds

It was cloudy at 0300, so no eclipse for me. I thought I saw some reddening of the clouds, but that was probably just street light city reflection-ness. At 0520 however there were no clouds! Except the eclipse was almost totally over with only a little bit removed from the moon. All that and I went to lectures this morning. Go me!

Lunar Eclipse

Tonight is the only lunar eclipse in 2008, and the next total eclipse isn't until 2010, so I plan to be outside at 3am to take a look. Should be fun! I've already timetabled a nap for tomorrow afternoon :-)

To Leave Or Not To Leave?

It could be that I've just had a bad weekend, but I am debating leaving my job. There just aren't really any challenges left any more. Sure, it gets busy and there can be times when things are going insane, but it isn't so much of a challenge. I know what I have to do and just do it. If it weren't for all the great people and my need to earn money to eat I'd possibly have already gone. As I say, it's been a bad weekend.

In other news I'm trying to figure out how to ask someone out for a drink/date. My usual mental block is in place. Maybe the three hour lecture on communication skills will help, but probably not. Don't want it to appear to be over the top. Answers on a post card please!

Dog Cloning Anyone?

Well this is odd! I suppose it's one way to find which parts of behaviour are due to nurture and which to nature.

Happy Valentines

So. Yeah. Another year, another Feb 14th. I'm probably meant to care more than I do, but I don't. It wasn't too bad a day really. Lectures went OK and I had a run and a climb later. Climbing was especially fun on the Crags as the sun set.

As predicted some of the night was spent in the pub. On my own. I was supposed to be meeting a friend, but instead I stayed alone. And then I arrived back home to....noises coming from my flatmates' room. I am currently mentally traumatised and going to sleep soon. Alone except for my revision notes. Should help me get to sleep!

Long Day

Just got back from work after a long day. First of all there was up early for lectures as usual, then home, food and an exam. From there it was pretty much straight to work. The usual supervisor wasn't in, so I was in charge. And there was a new person starting. Far too much work for one person. I'm sure I will write more when I've had sleep and it will make sense.

Eye update

Yesterday was my first eye check up in a while, and it went rather well. There was some stabbing of the eyes and some magic drops that really dilated my pupils and blocked my ciliary muscles to test my eye sight and were quite happy. The conclusions so far:

- It isn't a neuro problem. Woo!
- There is a problem with a muscle that control eye movement.
- It may resolve itself with the prisms in my glasses
- Glasses must come off for close up work

If things aren't much better by the next check-up there will be a conversation about an operation to remove the aforementioned muscle and put it somewhere better so my eyes work perfectly (ish). It apparently only takes a day, although there would be a general anaesthetic and I'm guessing a neuromuscular blocker as well as some interesting things afterwards such as patches. But I intend to get fixed before that. Having eyes cut in to at exam time would not be the best plan.

The next appointment is in May so we shall see what happens between now and then. There are some things that need to be done first. Some scary, some less scary, some fun.

Nothing Interesting

Not much happening at the moment, apart from lots and lots of work. We have finished the lecture series on neurology, oncology, gastroenterology, dentistry, urology and opthalmology, although I don't know how much has gone in. Over the next few weeks we will be doing a load more of the -ologys. Oh and an exam next week.