Real Work Again

The month in the VA gave me a taste of perhaps what community ICU could be like. With only fifteen beds, patients and diseases that by ICU standards weren't too severe, and lots of teaching opportunities, it was the easy life. I thoroughly enjoyed introducing third month interns to the world of medicine, challenging my residents and mid-levels, and learning how to act an attending. VA calls were home calls, so I'd go home late in the evening and only occasionally be called back for admissions. I spent time not only studying and learning, but also taking care of myself and enjoying life.

Alas, such things cannot last. After the VA, I've been at the Stanford medical ICU, the paragon of medicine and one of the most exhausting rotations this year. When I started, I ran a team that had nearly twenty patients, and no matter how many we sent to the floor, we'd reaccumulate nigh instantly. As a fellow in the MICU, we have are own defined roles and don't take on as many attending responsibilities. I scurried about to multidisciplinary rounds, family meetings, and lectures. I occupied myself with supervising procedures, running codes, and admitting patients. The acuity these past few weeks has been quite high, and I've gathered a few interesting stories to blog about this week.