First week of work...ish

Arriving at the UNSW campus on Tuesday reminded me acutely of my first day of clinical medicine. I was nervous, and beginning to think that applying for intensive care had been a really silly idea. I needn’t have worried- the department is fabulous. I am working in a private hospital, which has been a bit of a revelation. There is a neuro intensive care unit, intensive care unit, cardiac intensive care unit, and a high dependency unit.


The consultant of the week is frighteningly intelligent, but also an excellent teacher. I spent my first day on the ward round; we had 10 patients on the ward, ranging from spinal fractures to out-of-hospital MIs. I’m really looking forward to following the patients’ progress. We then had a clinical meeting about spinal injuries (with free lunch). In the afternoon, I watched a central line being put in, and began to get me head around the different monitors.


Junior doctors here work 12 hour shifts for 7 days, then have 7 days off, then work 7 nights, before another week off. I am doing 8 hour days, with weekends off. My time is fairly flexible- I can choose my days off. For example, next weekend I am heading to the Blue Mountains with a group of medics, so will tak the Friday off.


I arrive at the hospital at 8, for the handover and then there is a daily teaching session for an hour at half past. These are aimed at everybody from resident to fellow, and are really useful for me, even if some of it goes completely over my head! The ward round normally lasts for 2-3 hours, then there is time to grab lunch before jobs are done in the afternoon. I have been taken out for lunch by the consultant a few times this week. He has also organized for me to spend some time on the paediatric ITU, which is a particular interest of mine.


In terms of patients, I have seen a septic abdomen, carbon monoxide poisoning, post-MCA aneuysm, a post-partum haemorrhage in a Jehova’s Witness resulting a haemoglobin of 2.7, T10 spinal fracture, fluctuating consciousness and delerium. It’s been a really useful learning experience so far, although the team changes each week, so I will have to make friends again then!


I’m quite tired today and am looking forward to a good sleep before getting up stupidly early for the football, and then a concert at the Opera House- what an odd mix of culture!