As you all know, I already finished my delivery room completion for required cases. I was able to complete the 15 per student required cases. This time, I am having my duty in the operating room to complete the 5 major and 5 minor operations. (FYI: -explained in laymann’s term- Major ops includes surgeries in the skeletal system, digestive system, cardiovascular system, nervous system and the other body systems. Examples for minor operations are breast mass excision, suturing for infected wound, debridment, pterygium. Please do google it if you want to know more about it.)

So anyways, there was a major operation scheduled at 2pm this day. I volunteered to be the scrub nurse (the one who gives the surgical instruments to the surgeons… like those you see in the movies) since I haven’t assisted a single major operation. The procedure was THYROIDECTOMY (removal of the throid gland). I admit that I was so nervous and anxious of what would happen since it would be my first time. When it was time to scrub, the assistant surgeon told me that I haven’t donned my mask and cap, and our clinical instructor who is also the chief nurse of the hospital reprimanded me infront of the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, the other staff nurses and my groupmates. Take note, she didn’t reprimand me once… it was like a zillion times!

I don’t have any grudge against my CI since I know it was my fault. Gawd. I am already a fourth year student (A GRADUATING STUDENT!) and I don’t even know how to scrub and put the sterile gown. Heck! I don’t even know the name of each instruments. If my clinical instructor have not reviewed me while waiting for the surgeon, I might have looked stupid during the procedure. I really wanted to cry right at that moment but if I did, that won’t do any help. I controlled my lacrimal glands from functioning and told myself that I will be able to survive this almost-dreadful experience.

Don’t worry. I didn’t faint when I saw the oozing blood coming out from the incised neck. While assisting the surgeons, I practiced handling the instruments and giving it to them. At first, I felt so awkward but after 3 long hours of standing and assisting I was able to manage everything. Whew! Thank God! Praise the Lord. And oh, I remember… I was able to appreciate the windpipe or trachea - the passage way of inhaled air from the nose and exhaled air from the lungs. It’s so cute! Haha!

Btw, I also had the experience of doing internal examination (for the pregnant mothers). What do yo do in internal examination? NOTE: No malice here. For pure scientific purposes. You insert your index and your middle finger in the mother’s you know what. Yeah, the v*****l orifice. After inserting it, you will have to look for another orifice (opening)… and this one, it’s the cervix. And through feeling or touching the cervix, you will determine if it’s already time for the mother to deliver the baby or not yet. When I did it, I was freakin’ shaking and “nanlalambot”. Haha!

Anyhoo, tomorrow will be my last duty for the Christmas Vacation. Woot! Wish me luck for my last day. I hope this time, I can assist an operation somewhere in the abdomen… so that I can see the stomach, intestines… and the others. Hehe. Ooops. Sorry. I didn’t intend to make you puke. Again.. this is for scientific purposes. Haha!

*Will post my year-end report on December 30 or 31. Wait for it… it’s something serious. Haha!*

Au reviour!