Ask any cyclist what their 'routine' is in the run up to a race and you'll likely be there a while as they carefully recount the day-by-day, minute-to-minute strategy to ensure they're set up for the best possible performance on the day. Nothing gets forgotten, be it training, food, sleep, clothing - you name it, a…
How to survive the ward round
The dreaded ward round began at 08.30. You were buzzing, coffee swilling warmly through your veins, notebook and pen at the ready; a diligent student of a glorious vocation ready to learn. It's now 09.15 and you're stealing guilty glances at the clock, your weary eyes sliding down to your crumpled patient list to see how…
Tension
Preparation
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Preparation is key in a lot of situations, and Medicine as a whole is one of those situations. Having a solid plan, thinking it through and making sure you have everything ready beforehand will save you a lot of trouble. A good way to do this is through visualisation…
Instructions
Like it or not, as a medical practitioner people are going to take what you say seriously. They will look to you for advice and reassurance during their most vulnerable moments, and will often follow exactly what you say to the letter. This means you have to be careful about what you say, and how.…
An exercise in Optimism
The problem Facebook and Instagram, and various other forms of social media, are amazing. They let you keep in touch with friends and relatives around the world, organise events and share photos, you can even make a living from them. However I'm pretty sure they are absolutely terrible for your mental health. Remember at school when…
“So I’ve got this patient…”
What to do when taking a call about a patient on the ward... Who, what and where are they? What's the patient's name, hospital number and which ward are they on? What is the reason that they've come into hospital and why is the person calling about them? What are their obs? This tells you…
