Day four

Today was a good day! Started off by following an anaesthetist into theatre for the only general anaesthetic on the list. After yesterdays failed attempt it was good to get an actual GA! After a quick grilling in the anaesthetic room from the really nice consultant we met our patient, and I was able to cannulate, manage the airway and insert the laryngeal mask airway - all stuff I've done before on anaesthetic placements but still good fun and good experience to build up. The operation itself was uneventful and the patient was shortly transferred back to recovery. After that I hung around theatre and watched a further operation that I hadn't seen before, mainly out of surgical interest as opposed to the anaesthetic, as this was done only under local anaesthetic injected by the surgeon.

After this it was time for a wee spot of lunch, before checking out the wards and seeing what was going on. It seemed fairly quiet until about 2pm, when a patient came in a bit short of breath. I saw them with the F2, cannulated again and then also did an arterial blood gas (ABG) sample which I was well happy with! I've done a few of these before - basically involves piercing the radial artery in the wrist (where people check for a pulse) with a needle and getting a sample. It's normally quite uncomfortable (/painful!) and although I've done it successfully in the past the last few times I've tried I've missed it. So it was good to get the confidence back up by hitting it straight away! The F2 was awesome, creating a really relaxed environment where I could take my time, relax and concentrate on selecting the right place to try to pierce the artery. Great :)

Just cos Ben Nevis is local...

It slowed down a bit again after that, and after running the bloods up to the lab and writing in the notes it was almost time to head off. On Thursdays there are some 'informal evening tutorials' that take place in the local watering hole (Cobb's), a great opportunity to get to know the doctors who we've only just started working with! The menu included their '3 Peaks Burgers', although I resent the fact that Scafell is the cheapest and least appetising offer... Also discovered that the nearest cinema is in Inverness, over an hour and a halfs drive away, so there goes my wet weather evening plan! I was feeling pretty tired, my muscles aching from my walk yesterday, so I headed back to the house to relax. Pizza dinner in the microwave oven; not the healthiest but quick and easy.

Unfortunately the weather has taken a turn for the worse again, with the next few days looking pretty grim. Sunday might be dry at least, although the rock will probably still be wet. Maybe another scrambling day, we'll see. As for tomorrow in the hospital, routine surgery only happens on Tues/Wed/Thurs, so it will be back to the ward or A&E. Emergency surgery can still happen (if needed), although obviously no predicting when that will be. I'll try and do a night shift or two while I'm here, over the wet days I think! Also some of the weekends could be good to go down as there'll be fewer students but also hopefully more to do and may be more of an actually help to the doctors covering the hospital single handed!