SO! I have been working with REAL patients! I have been made to move into a small flat near a hospital (that is about 3 hours from my house) and will be working/learning there. My first week has gone by without me cocking up! I think I'll write a few blogs about my experiences. I hope you enjoy reading them! They will be interesting!

HOSPITAL STUFF:

This week, I have already seen a patient I was examining die O__O. Not while I was there, but overnight. It was quite a shock but it was such a busy day that we had to just move on quickly.

I also saw the consultant I am under sign a DNAR (Do Not Attempt Resusciation) form for a patient, which gave me the chills but I know that it is important to do.

I was able to examine a poorly patient and actually identify a problem with their heart using my stethoscope!! My consultant was really impressed! As was I!!

Saw a person get a stomach drain (had a very swollen stomach, his belly button was inside out)

Saw someone with 5-6 fistulae (these are linkages between you intestine and something it isn't supposed to link to, in this case the womans abdomen....this meant there was faeces leaking out of her belly, quite shocking)

I saw a man that was completely red and had to try and diagnose him

Saw a patient that had suffered a splenectomy (removal of spleen) even though she didn't need it! (although that happened in another hospital and not ours, still was quite saddening though

SOCIAL STUFF:

Messed about in the town centre and with other friends on the campus. Hopefully I'll do more social stuff next week as this week was all a baptism of fire and LOTS of work!

OH, as I was eating lunch with friends.........some oldish man comes and asks to sit down with us. We say yes. We ask him who he is........he was the chief executive of the entire hospital!!! We were all taken aback that such a high ranking guy would come sit with us med students but he was a really nice guy! He was newly appointed and I think he will do a great job!

Hope you guys find these interesting! I plan to do more soon!