Cardio done and onto Respiratory

Cardio just finished over the weekend and now we are in the Respiratory sequence, which still has a lot to learn, but lecture time is seriously less (though one of our lectures did go 36 minutes overtime today, ugh). This afternoon we had some optional hospital visits, which turned out to be more like three hours of workshops. I started in the simulation center and learned how to intubate on a dummy. I only "broke" one tooth on my first attempt, but got the tube in the right place. The other two times I got the tube in without any problems and never "killed my patient." After intubation I learned how to do bronchoscopy in the sim lab. I got the hang of it pretty quickly and it was really cool! After that we learned about ventilators and I was sitting right in front of the respiratory therapist. He decided that I got to be the dummy to use the ventilator (not with an endotrachial tube, just with a mouth piece). It was so freaking weird and not all that lovely when you don't actually need it, especially when the PEEP is high since you can't really breathe out very well against it. After the ventilator demonstration we went to a patients room in the critical care unit to learn a little bit about a case. Boy did I feel useless, but I have to remember that after only three lectures (all of which were introductory and one of which was only radiology) I am not supposed to know everything about respiratory physiology yet. The one thing that bothered me was seeing the nurses interact with the patient. They were changing her since she is on a ventilator and they kept laughing at what they were doing (the patient seems fairly conscious too) and even dropped some feces covered pads on the floor of the room. It seemed fairly unprofessional to me, but what can I do at this point. After the critical care unit we went down to the pediatric pulmonary labs and saw how PFTs are done. I volunteered first, but some other guy in my class jumped in and I didn't get to get tested. Sad. That was the last stop for my small group and then I headed home.

When I got home I saw that the meal I had prepared in the slow cooker was WAY overcooked (guess I should underestimate the time given from now on) and basically inedible, which sucked. Oh well, I learned for next time. Just sucks that I lost all that really good quality chicken. Instead I made delicious cheddar and onion quinoa muffins for dinner and they were amazing!! Thank you Pintrest! I have become addicted, but there are so many good recipes, especially for desserts. After dinner I got to learn how to do a male GU exam. How fun. Tomorrow I have my session with a standardized patient where a few of my classmates and I get to practice the male external genitalia exam and the rectal exam. Not something I have ever envisioned doing in my lifetime; hope it isn't too awkward. I feel bad for the man getting 6 rectal exams in one day by people who have no clue what they are doing! At least he is getting paid handsomely! 

My lovely dinner muffins packed with yummy (and healthy) goodness