Distractions and Interruptions in the Operating Room
DISTRACTIONS AND INTERRUPTIONS IN THE OPERATING ROOM Print Section Listen Think about the last time you were at home, relaxed on the sofa, completely immersed in a film. The lights…
Personalities in the Operating Room
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Analogies make it easier for all of us normal folks to relate to complex things. For instance, if you are a surgical resident, the operating room…
Notes from Your Attending
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen First time in the OR, huh? Well, don’t touch anything. Just put your hands where I tell you to. You’re probably not going to understand anything…
A Brief Post-Op Note
A BRIEF POST-OP NOTE Print Section Listen The most interesting part of putting this book together has been answering the question “what is the book about?” Telling people that it’s…
Tomfoolery, Shenanigans, and Hazing in Surgery
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Like most exclusive groups, surgery has its share of rites of passage—activities ranging from the silly and harmless to those bordering on hazing. As you will…
Keep Calm and Trust the Count
KEEP CALM AND TRUST THE COUNT Print Section Listen You’ve met the players. You’ve been initiated into the rites of the OR, which can be one of the most rewarding…
Privacy—Keep It To Yourself
PRIVACY—KEEP IT TO YOURSELF Print Section Listen Every semester, new students arrive at a large Level I trauma center to try their hand at caring for some of the toughest…
Teamwork and Communication in the Operating Room
TEAMWORK AND COMMUNICATION IN THE OPERATING ROOM Print Section Listen There is something captivating about witnessing an operating room (OR) team perform as a “team” to accomplish what is, to…
The Operating Room as a Study in Cultural Anthropology
THE OPERATING ROOM AS A STUDY IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY Print Section Listen Imagine yourself dropped off on an island, or perhaps even another planet, with living beings who appear similar…
The OR and Humor
THE OR AND HUMOR Print Section Listen I used to be a very well mannered individual. Then two things happened: I went to nursing school. I got a job in…
