Emergency Room

Back to Vinny's

I was really looking forward to the start of a new three week rotation with the gastroenterolgy team at St Vincent's University Hospital. Being at an elite hospital simply means more patients, ie more action. No disrespect to the peripheral hospitals we're sent to, they have some positives as well.

Danny, our spr aka 'the man who runs the show', is always well dressed and extremely courteous to the patients. Other members of the team include Katie, a gresh ucd graduate doing her internship, and Craig, the senior house officer with his unmistakeable orange(!) stethoscope. They're all generally pleasant people and make it a point to teach us whenever possible. So I am feeling good about the next three weeks.

Adrienne and I met up with our team for the first time in the A&E ward. It’s never as exciting as it seems on shows such as ER or Greys Anatomy. There might be one or two trauma cases, probably due to a bar fight or other alcohol related injuries.

We weren’t expecting any surprises (Obviously there was one)

As Danny was going through the patients charts, there was a loud thump. At first, nobody reacted.

I ran with Danny towards the patient. He had collapsed and was having a seizure.

I looked at Adrienne who was probably as excited as I was.

As the chaos subsided, Danny looked up to us and said, “That’s more action than you’ll ever get to see, unfortunately,”

Better than nothing, I suppose.

And within a minute, Danny was shouting at the top of his lungs,

“Cardiac arrest on bed 12, get me the crash cart NOW!”

Another patient had suddenly KO-ed right in front of us.

The whole ward suddenly burst into life. Everyone seemed to have a part to play in resuscitating the patient whose heart had stopped.

Everyone except us of course; as students, we’re generally told to try and not to get in the way. So yes, it was indeed very exciting.