ONE WAY OF LEARNING
When Miss Flower Power was a fourth year medical student, (a 6 year course in these days, 7 or 8 years for an intercalated degree), she along with others in her year decided it was time to become competent at taking blood and inserting lines. In these days they called it “doing the bloods” and “putting up drips”. The subject was never broached with consultant, tutor, mentor or dean. No one asked to attend a course. There weren’t any courses.
No, all the medical students set about learning each in their own way. “Their own way” generally meant “just ask.”
Miss Flower Power was attached to a medical unit at that time. As well as joining the ward round every morning, she made herself available in the evenings and weekends when “her” ward was receiving. She trailed around after Dr Sixties Sideburns who was the ward’s hardworking, committed, highly intelligent Junior House Officer. He had a great way with patients. He also had a great way with Miss Flower Power and for a few weeks she had a bit of a crush on him.
Anyway, it was Miss Flower Power who decided that Dr Sideburns would be “The One” who would facilitate her blood letting learning experience.
“I’ll come in early and help you with the bloods tomorrow” she said to him after the ward round.
“OK. See you then”
From then on, every morning, Miss Flower Power appeared at 7.30am equipped with a crisp starched white coat with a touniquet in her pocket.
On the first day she watched a few venesections, asked some questions, and then took blood from a couple of patients with veins like ropes under he skin. By the end of the week she was doing all the “easy veins” every morning and Dr Sixties Sideburns did the more challenging ones.
During the second week she was doing most of the patients. There were a few she was not allowed to touch. The difficult fragile veins, veins in patients who were immunosuppressed, renal patients, patients who were so overweight finding a vein was like finding a needle in a haystack. They remained Dr Sideburn’s responsibility. She attentitively watched how he tackled these difficult veins. Sometimes, he would have to take blood from the back of the hand. Sometimes he would bring a little paediatric giving set out of his pocket and use that to take blood from really difficulty patients. Miss Flower Power was not ready for these techniques yet.
Yes, learning was a very pleasant experience indeed.
The Witch Doctor - Link to a random page
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LINK TO UK MISSING KIDS WEBSITE
LINK TO MISSING PERSONS WEBSITE
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