rsh2061 Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Hi everyone, I shadowed a PA for the first time last week, and things went great! I am shadowing him again tomorrow, only it will be in the OR this time for an open heart case. This will be my first time in the OR, and am aware that the environment will be different than that of the clinic. I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions for me, big Do's and Don'ts? Or anything like that. Greatly appreciated, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PArunner Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 First time I witnessed surgery - I was super super cold. I was actually shivering since the scrubs and everything were so thin. ORs are typically cold... so just a heads up. Just don't get in their way... and do what you're supposed to, observe. I would only ask questions if they seemed like they had a second - but I'm not aggressive as some people probably are on this board, and it also depends on your relationship to the person you are shadowing :) Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unewillow Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Keep your hands under your armpits and don't touch anything without asking first. You'll most likely be behind the ether screen by the patients head looking over and down. Don't lock your knees and if you need to sneeze don't turn your head, just step back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Hands under the armpits? Sounds weird.... I'm guessing you won't be scrubbed in if you are shadowing. ALWAYS be mindful of all sterile fields. The room staff will know a newbie is there and should remind you. Some of them can be, er, emphatic in how they remind you. you just have to deal with it. They should be good about telling you where you need to stand at different portions of the case. Take a chance to talk to all the staff that you can. I usually have shadows talk to the perfusionist for a bit, anesthesia, and obviously watch over the screen. The surgeon and PA should be able to talk to you during the case but it depends on how critical a moment they are in. have fun..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mktalon Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 I probably wouldn't grab a scalpel and start cutting away at random parts of the body... but others on this board are more aggressive than me so that might just be my personality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterallsummer Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 1. Wherever your PA puts you, stay there and DO NOT MOVE. People in there are used to moving around objects. Don't step out of their way - JUST STAY PUT. 2. Don't touch anything unless you are asked to! 3. EAT something before you go in. SOMETHING WITH SUGAR! Trust me when that smell hits you, you don't wanna be on an empty stomach. 4. Don't bug the other staff - if the PA is talking to you, ask away, but if he is not talking to you, just silently watch and learn. Good luck and have fun! Also, chances are you WILL scrub in. They will give you throw away scrubs. Sizes are simply S M or L. Change quickly in the locker room and put your clothes wherever your PA keeps his. Afterwards, do not keep the scrubs - they have a bin to throw them into. Above all else have fun it will be quite the experience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpsman2PA Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Don't eat junior mints! (any seinfeld fans out there?) Best advice, just tell whoever you check in with "Ive never been in an OR before" then play the situation as needed...you'll adapt and get a feel for things and you'll be fine. Let the situation dictate how you behave, where you stand, what armpits to put your hands under, etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 1. Wherever your PA puts you, stay there and DO NOT MOVE. People in there are used to moving around objects. Don't step out of their way - JUST STAY PUT. 2. Don't touch anything unless you are asked to! 3. EAT something before you go in. SOMETHING WITH SUGAR! Trust me when that smell hits you, you don't wanna be on an empty stomach. 4. Don't bug the other staff - if the PA is talking to you, ask away, but if he is not talking to you, just silently watch and learn. Good luck and have fun! Also, chances are you WILL scrub in. They will give you throw away scrubs. Sizes are simply S M or L. Change quickly in the locker room and put your clothes wherever your PA keeps his. Afterwards, do not keep the scrubs - they have a bin to throw them into. Above all else have fun it will be quite the experience! As nonclinical/non-staff it's unusual to scrub in to a case. I have never seen a shadow scrub in unless they are cleared by HIPPA/patient consent/institutional guidelines. And as an observer you put yourself under liability if you HAVEN'T cleared those hurdles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgdog Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 I've never seen a shadow scrub either, just learning to scrub/gown/glove takes awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterallsummer Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 All surgeries I shadowed for, I had to wear scrubs. At the particular hospital I was at, you can't even walk past a line in the OR without scrubs on. IDK, maybe just this hospital. I guess it just varies. Oh, actually, this may be a vocab thing... I am referring to JUST literally putting on the scrubs and the mask. Not having them put the gloves on you or anything. I literally mean just putting on scrubs and a mask, so maybe we are referring to two different things? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenmood Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 "scrubbing in" and putting on a set of scrubs are two very different things, yes When I shadowed, I wasn't allowed anywhere near the OR and I was actually employed by the hospital I shadowed in, so I had already gone through all of their HIPAA and infection control training. Hospital policy was - no unnecessary people in the OR. It makes perfect sense - more dangerous for everyone involved, really. But if you have the chance to observe from the inside, take it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Scrubbing in = gowned/gloved/masked/at table Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsh2061 Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 Hey everyone, Thank you for all of your input! I really appreciate it, and it helped prepare/relax me a bit for the day. It ended up being pretty awesome, and makes me really anxious about getting into school and everything! They performed a double bypass and aortic valve replacement. I did wear hospital issued scrubs, but didn't scrub in (wash/gown/gloves/etc). It was interesting to see the roles of the PA, as there were two involved- one a newbie-ish and the other has been there for about 7 years. I was allowed to get up pretty close during the removal from bypass and closing which was really exciting! Anyway, I'm really pumped... and appreciate all of the help, as always. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andersenpa Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 Nothing more glorious than cardiac surgery.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsh2061 Posted October 3, 2011 Author Share Posted October 3, 2011 One more question for you all... I have written thank you's for the two PA's that I shadowed. Should I also write a quick note to the two Docs (their SPs) who did the bypass? Thanking them for letting me observe the surgery? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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