We got a massive polytrauma yesterday (we actually got a couple of massive polytraumas yesterday, it's good to be back) so the trauma surgeon (Dr. Traumafem) paged me down to check out a dude with some skeletal injuries. I walked into Trauma Room C and they were going to move the dude off the backboard so I grabbed his legs since he had some lower extremity injuries.
ER Intern: OK, sweetie. I have a very important job for you! You can hold the legs. But be careful because he might have a broken ankle.
Me: Did you see his xrays? He has an isolated tibiotalar dislocation on the right and a posterior wall--posterior column acetabulum fracture on the left with posterolateral dislocation.
ER Intern: Oh my G-d. I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you were a resident!
Me: Honestly, I don't think you should be so patronizing to anyone.
We had to take a break for a minute so Dr. Traumafem could stop laughing. The ER intern left the room shortly thereafter.
Seriously though, if you wouldn't speak that way to another resident, you probably shouldn't speak that way to another person. Geez. Me being a resident doesn't mean I'm entitled to any more respect (hell, I'm probably entitled to less) and don't call a girl "sweetie" unless you're over the age of 80.
That's really annoying orthochick. You have my sympathies.
ReplyDeleteOuch. There's a certain RT who frequents the ICU/CCU at my centre who likes to go on about how ventilators work (assuming that I know nothing about them, which may be fair enough for some residents but not me...) or pontificating about how stroke patients with dysphagia need to be intubated for "airway protection" (if that was the case the stroke units of the world would be very different places!).
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine who the ER intern thought you were but... ugh.
Sad to know this sort of thing still goes on..
ReplyDeleteMaybe you look young & he thought you're a medical student trying to help!
ReplyDelete