Seriously...That's My Finger!

I was having dinner at our department on the second floor when I received a bleep...

Trauma team is activated...

Trauma team is activated...

Trauma team is activated...

Shit! that's all I could say and stopped eating and run...literally!!! I have to, last time the doctor was mad at me for being late haha. But what to do, the Accident and Emergency room (ER) is at the ground floor and so far away from our department. But I do have the options to eat at the ER pantry but I chose not to. I'm happy dining with my colleague. I just need to run as fast as I could like tonight! Toinks!

After more than a month of being assigned there, I can say, I like it. Unlike before that I could curse my boss for putting me there. I'm happy with the Pediatric ICU and he will just decide to assign me at the ER! WTF!

There are many rooms at the emergency room, there's the cardiac room, where I should stay all the time unless needed somewhere. But I am covering the whole Accident and Emergency room, on call basis.

(CARDIAC ROOM: all chest pain patients. This is the busiest room, and the most toxic place ever! any minute there will be cardiac arrest, and if there's cardiac arrest,only means one thing: I will be tired!)

Like this call, at the Trauma room, where the ambulance brings all accidents and trauma related incidents. This area is usually the bloodiest! the goriest ever! But this room is my favorite. A lot of action going on, its fast and unpredictable. But this is also a place where everyone need to be serious and focused.

(But sometimes how can I focus if someone's tut-tut were in front of you! ang laki kaya shit! kidding!)

Finally, I reached the Trauma room number 4. Every one was there. All in their personal protective gear! Its like inside the wet market. All the trauma code team was there.

"Brother, come! Hurry!" I heard my anesthesiologist referring to me. He is my partner on all procedure, its like a loveteam Toinks! All five doctors are there. I'm the only one late! As usual hahaha! The nurse handed me the gown, gloves and face mask. Good thing he is not the other one who scolded me before.

I looked at the patient, a female, around 30 yrs. old. You could barely recognize here. Her face are all sore. A hit and run victim. Most probably its a head injury... I noticed there's too much blood coming out on her mouth, her jaw was broken...She is also not breathing.

A big problem for my anesthesiologist and me...since our role is the airway (since I'm the RT). I need to make sure there will be air coming in her lungs.

Get ready for intubation, I heared him said. I prepared all the stuffs needed. I put them all on the side of the bed and assisted him for the procedure. While the other four doctors are busy with their own respective specialty.

(Basta ako, sa airway lang la ako paki sa kanila LOL!)

After the endotracheal tube was inserted, I needed to fix it right away with the ET tie, so that no matter what happened it wont be dislocated or accidentally pulled out. I have to lean towards the patients face to do it right, I wasn't able to stick it properly because the blood orally are endless. I even have blood all over me and my hands.

Endotracheal tube insertion (Intubation)

"Hurry up brother, we need to position her on her side. We will do the log roll right away!" I heard the surgeon told me. Damn! How can I do it right away! You do it! but its only on my mind LOL!

I was able to fix it and connected her to the portable mechanical ventilator ( a breathing machine where I'm the only who supposed to set and manipulate) and as are we doing the log roll on the patient, the anesthesiologist whose holding her head and neck noticed something:

Portable mechanical ventilator

"Please remove her I.D lace on the neck". The nurse quickly get the scissor but she wasn't able to reach, since my hands are free at the time I volunteered to do it.

I took it, and started to cut, but the scissor were sooooo useless. Its not cutting! Ang talas bongga! LOL.

I tried to cut again but then we heard a loud voice:

"awww--awwww! that's my finger! seriously, brother...that's my finger!" it was my anesthesiologist! I didn't feel that I'm not cutting the lace anymore but his finger hahahaha. Its sooo embarrassing...

shit!

Everyone almost burst into laughters! But tried to contain it. We are not allowed to laugh inside. He forgave me after the patient was transferred to the operating theater.

Whew!!!!

P.S
I attached an intubation video here so that you guys will have an idea of one of my job here in the hospital. In this video, I'm supposed to be the guy assisting the doctor. The first scene was funny. Watch it.