The Rythm of the Beat

So I'm now roughly 8 weeks into the job, and even though I am the baby HCA with no prior experience, I think I'm finally getting the swing of things.

And I'm actually starting to learn something - that I (as a HCA) shouldn't be doing ECGs downstairs in A&E (though looking where some nurses place the electrodes, I'm not sure even nurses should be doing ECGs), I shouldn't be doing BMs without an NVQ, that I also need training for β-hCG tests as well (what training I'm supposed to get with the instructions and results taped to the wall is anyone's guess) and I wouldn't be surprised if I'm told soon that I shouldn't be doing neuro-obs/GCS or ward transfers (except CCU, ITU and HDU, because they're fair enough really).

So that would leave me doing... just obs and dipping pee? To add some icing to that cake, I was told my training wasn't sufficient enough either (because putting a BP cuff and pressing NIBP is immeasurably difficult?)

But on a less ranty/more serious note, I am starting to learn stuff, when it's appropriate to do an ECG, paracetamol for pyrexic patients, generally what blood tests should be run for patients (even though I'm not taking blood yet), fluids for postural drop and when to actually recognise somebody is fairly sick just from their obs (because the girl who was pyrexic, tachycardic, hypotensive, +ve hCG with back pain scarred the shit out of me as my first thought was ?ectopic - fortunately she knew she was pregnant and had previously had a normal scan earlier in the week, but muggins here was sent in without a CAS card to know what was going on). Though nobody would teach me how to do a manual blood pressure, even on my vital signs study day... Admittedly there are no manual cuffs around, but that's not the point.

And nothing particularly phases me any more, which is nice. I supposed 8 weeks of dealing with poo, people having fits (seizures) in cubicles, open fractures and elderly ladies with dementia slapping you hardens you to this.


Though I've heard whispers that St George's decided to close their A&E twice on both of the weekend evenings... to everything (including priorities). Now I know that area around George's, and Kingston, Mayday and St. Helier aren't equipped for neurosurgical or cardiothoracic surgical related trauma (nor am I that sure that they're properly equipped for plastics, ENT and maxfax trauma either?). Are George's just more overwhelmed than the other trauma centres?