I've spent an afternoon with an anaesthetist in theatre, so I am pretty much an expert now. I don't read up before our lecture, because I've been there and seen it all first-hand. I am ready for any questions that might come my way.
And so the "lecture" begins. It can hardly be called a lecture - there are nine students, sitting around the table, and an anaesthetist. This would be a scary situation, if I were less prepared. The anaesthetist rocks back in his chair and starts talking about the history of anaesthetics. The specialty has come a long way since medieval times, when copious amounts of alcohol were used to control the pain of surgery. I have seen a documentary on anaesthetics, so I know all of this - I could be teaching the class about Wells and his nitrous oxide, about Morton and his ether.
So when the anaesthetist turns to us and starts asking questions, I am ready. Here it comes, the first question: "What are the stages of anaesthesia?" Oh. I remember the intern trying to explain these to me. He couldn't remember them all and I made a mental note to look them up. And then I lost my note.
Never mind, next question: "What are the commonly used anaesthetic agents?" Oooh! Nitrous oxide gas! And ... clear stuff ... and ... uh, white stuff.
"Possible complications of anaesthesia?" I have spent whole minutes giving airway support, so I hazard a guess at 'apnoea'. What was that? There are more? Air embolism? Malignant hyperthermia, you say? What's that?
Oh ... time to go and study.
And so the "lecture" begins. It can hardly be called a lecture - there are nine students, sitting around the table, and an anaesthetist. This would be a scary situation, if I were less prepared. The anaesthetist rocks back in his chair and starts talking about the history of anaesthetics. The specialty has come a long way since medieval times, when copious amounts of alcohol were used to control the pain of surgery. I have seen a documentary on anaesthetics, so I know all of this - I could be teaching the class about Wells and his nitrous oxide, about Morton and his ether.
So when the anaesthetist turns to us and starts asking questions, I am ready. Here it comes, the first question: "What are the stages of anaesthesia?" Oh. I remember the intern trying to explain these to me. He couldn't remember them all and I made a mental note to look them up. And then I lost my note.
Never mind, next question: "What are the commonly used anaesthetic agents?" Oooh! Nitrous oxide gas! And ... clear stuff ... and ... uh, white stuff.
"Possible complications of anaesthesia?" I have spent whole minutes giving airway support, so I hazard a guess at 'apnoea'. What was that? There are more? Air embolism? Malignant hyperthermia, you say? What's that?
Oh ... time to go and study.
1 comment:
Noooo - don't do it! Don't study! That takes all the fun out of it!
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