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This May Hurt a Bit: Harvard medical student's blog

blogs.scientificamerican.com

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Re: This May Hurt a Bit: Harvard medical student's blog

#11

Post by cooperadymas »

graeham wrote: post #7
JeremyMorgan wrote: post #3

This article puts a human touch on a human situation, from their point of view. As a volunteer firefighter I see more stuff than you normally would on average and it gives you a different perspective. For instance: Before I got into this field, I always thought of firefighters, paramedics and doctors as magical superheroes that can fix anything. As long as you make it to their doorstep you'll be fine. This is not not…

I'm a biomedical engineer and have been working with surgeons for a few years. I'm always impressed with their perspective given the situation of surgery. To the surgical team, its just another day in the office. To the person on the table, it is one of the most important days in the life. I have been fortunate enough to be invited into the OR to observe a few surgeries. The first time, I was shocked at how casual th…

    The first time, I was shocked at how casual the situation was to the people involved. The atmosphere is more like a workshop than you see on TV dramas involving surgeons (music playing, people chatting about what their kids and weekends, etc. like told in the article).
This is part of what made MASH so great. Many of the best scenes took place with the characters in the OR talking, teasing, and generally going about their routine.

Re: This May Hurt a Bit: Harvard medical student's blog

#12

Post by nostromo »

JeremyMorgan wrote: post #3

This article puts a human touch on a human situation, from their point of view. As a volunteer firefighter I see more stuff than you normally would on average and it gives you a different perspective. For instance: Before I got into this field, I always thought of firefighters, paramedics and doctors as magical superheroes that can fix anything. As long as you make it to their doorstep you'll be fine. This is not not…

Doctors understand that they aren't miracle workers, and as such, prefer much less medical intervention at the end of their own lives than the general public.

http://www.radiolab.org/story/262588-bitter-end/

http://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/2011/11/30/how-doctors-die...

Re: This May Hurt a Bit: Harvard medical student's blog

#13

Post by toomuchtodo »

JeremyMorgan wrote: post #10
toomuchtodo wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure what the exact medical events were that transpired in this case, but the rescue team who found this person performed CPR for 4 hours continuously, and she made a full recovery: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/04/06/skier-tree-well-mira...

Thats exactly why they keep going with CPR long after the point of calling it. If the patient presents even the slightest of signs they'll keep going and it resets the clock. I've never been involved in a 4 hour instance of this, but an hour or more is not uncommon if there is any sign of revival.

We'll probably never meet, but thanks. If something happens to me, I'd want someone to perform CPR as long as possible on me. I'm fond of existence.

Re: This May Hurt a Bit: Harvard medical student's blog

#14

Post by willyt »

graeham wrote: post #7
JeremyMorgan wrote: post #3

This article puts a human touch on a human situation, from their point of view. As a volunteer firefighter I see more stuff than you normally would on average and it gives you a different perspective. For instance: Before I got into this field, I always thought of firefighters, paramedics and doctors as magical superheroes that can fix anything. As long as you make it to their doorstep you'll be fine. This is not not…

I'm a biomedical engineer and have been working with surgeons for a few years. I'm always impressed with their perspective given the situation of surgery. To the surgical team, its just another day in the office. To the person on the table, it is one of the most important days in the life. I have been fortunate enough to be invited into the OR to observe a few surgeries. The first time, I was shocked at how casual th…

I've sat in on two caesarians as a father. One 'emergency' and one EMERGENCY!!!. The way I could tell the difference was that the first was as you describe and the second was disturbingly like a TV hospital drama. Both ended well, but it still makes me upset thinking about it years later.

Re: This May Hurt a Bit: Harvard medical student's blog

#15

Post by JeremyMorgan »

graeham wrote: post #7
JeremyMorgan wrote: post #3

This article puts a human touch on a human situation, from their point of view. As a volunteer firefighter I see more stuff than you normally would on average and it gives you a different perspective. For instance: Before I got into this field, I always thought of firefighters, paramedics and doctors as magical superheroes that can fix anything. As long as you make it to their doorstep you'll be fine. This is not not…

I'm a biomedical engineer and have been working with surgeons for a few years. I'm always impressed with their perspective given the situation of surgery. To the surgical team, its just another day in the office. To the person on the table, it is one of the most important days in the life. I have been fortunate enough to be invited into the OR to observe a few surgeries. The first time, I was shocked at how casual th…

You're absolutely right, that is what's needed. It's the same with the fire service, you'll notice most firefighters are pretty calm but fast. This is because of countless hours of training and building to make the men and women involved think in a very calm, procedural fashion. It doesn't reduce the gravitas of the situation but it's a situation where you know what you should do because you've trained and/or done it so many times. I imagine with a surgeon this is magnified many times over.

In Fire Academy they say "We want to train you so you there are so many things you'll do automatically and not even think about. That way you don't panic and also you can use the available thought power for the exceptions in the situation, not the basics"

Also they want you prepared. "You never see a garbage man pull into a neighborhood and say OH SH*T LOOK AT ALL THESE CANS!! HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS? because they're prepared for it and have a plan".

Re: This May Hurt a Bit: Harvard medical student's blog

#16

Post by JeremyMorgan »

jamesaguilar wrote: post #5

The first article about the guy who died during a hip replacement surgery (?). It's terribly sad for everyone else, but when I go, that's one of the best ways I can imagine it happening. You go down optimistic for a better future where your hip is working again and just . . . never come back up. Dramatically preferable to years of battling with cancer or a gradual dip into dementia, at least for the victim. Especiall…

I agree, everyone has to go and this way is preferable to suffering.

My dad had some health problems, and a few close calls in his last years. In the end he fell asleep in his favorite spot in his chair watching television and didn't come back. While it was one of the most heartbreaking things in our lives, but I'm glad his final departure was peaceful and painless.

Re: This May Hurt a Bit: Harvard medical student's blog

#17

Post by FireBeyond »

JeremyMorgan wrote: post #15
graeham wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a biomedical engineer and have been working with surgeons for a few years. I'm always impressed with their perspective given the situation of surgery. To the surgical team, its just another day in the office. To the person on the table, it is one of the most important days in the life. I have been fortunate enough to be invited into the OR to observe a few surgeries. The first time, I was shocked at how casual th…

You're absolutely right, that is what's needed. It's the same with the fire service, you'll notice most firefighters are pretty calm but fast. This is because of countless hours of training and building to make the men and women involved think in a very calm, procedural fashion. It doesn't reduce the gravitas of the situation but it's a situation where you know what you should do because you've trained and/or done it…

Nice to meet a fellow firefighter here.

Re: This May Hurt a Bit: Harvard medical student's blog

#18

Post by FireBeyond »

JeremyMorgan wrote: post #10
toomuchtodo wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure what the exact medical events were that transpired in this case, but the rescue team who found this person performed CPR for 4 hours continuously, and she made a full recovery: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/04/06/skier-tree-well-mira...

Thats exactly why they keep going with CPR long after the point of calling it. If the patient presents even the slightest of signs they'll keep going and it resets the clock. I've never been involved in a 4 hour instance of this, but an hour or more is not uncommon if there is any sign of revival.

My longest stint of CPR was 1h50m. The patient didn't make it out the door - but did get to say goodbye to their wife.

Re: This May Hurt a Bit: Harvard medical student's blog

#19

Post by FireBeyond »

sachingulaya wrote: post #4
JeremyMorgan wrote: post #3

This article puts a human touch on a human situation, from their point of view. As a volunteer firefighter I see more stuff than you normally would on average and it gives you a different perspective. For instance: Before I got into this field, I always thought of firefighters, paramedics and doctors as magical superheroes that can fix anything. As long as you make it to their doorstep you'll be fine. This is not not…

The odds of resuscitation from ACLS(advanced cardiac life support) if you suffer cardiac arrest in a hospital setting is somewhere between 1-4% IIRC. The chances of a successful revival are already low. Once you pass the 10min mark you are really just hoping for a miracle...but it happens. Rarely, but it does.

Hugely depends on the type of arrest.

In the Puget Sound area, and around Rochester MN, your survival rate for 'witnessed, shockable arrest' can approach the high 40s.

In some areas of the country that number is 2-3%

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