Maiden Voyage

So my first week -it was okay. They broke me in slowly by assigning me to OB the first day with a "mentor." She had me do the cases, but led me around, introduced me to the nurses, and showed me the ropes. My second day was absolutely AWFUL. Three cases, the first of which had an unpredictably bad airway. Luckily, I had another "mentor" to save me. But during my second case (which went fine by the way), he had to go to the endoscopy suite. So there I was, a newly minted anesthesiologist, on her own on her second day. Unfortunately, my third case looked like Santa Claus (= difficult airway to those of us who work with the airway). After induction, I struggled to hand ventilate the patient, but eventually was able to do so. Nonetheless, I had called for assistance, and had a roomful of anesthesiologists to help me. I was able to intubate, surprisingly without trouble. But the rest of the case, the patient's sats and BP kept battling each other (PEEP helped his sats, but dropped his pressure), so I was working hard the rest of the case. Not fun. I went home that night and passed out from exhaustion. I did not want to go back to work the next day. But off to work I did go.

The next day went just fine. I was given an "easy" room with healthy patients. My "mentor" for the day did not have to do much, and I was feeling pretty self-sufficient. The last two days of the week, I was completely on my own, still with the "easy" cases, thank Goodness. Overall, I can't complain about my new job. Most people have been very nice and welcoming. Definitely nervous about getting the more complicated cases and working with the more particular surgeons. Like they say, the learning curve is steep the first year out of residency.

You know what I like about my new job so far? Being called by either my first name or Dr. Map, instead of, "Hey Anesthesia!"