Critical Care Week: Day 4 of 6

PGY 39, Day 337 BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN THE FRONT LINES OF PATIENT CARE I see myself as a Taskmaster ... and sort of "player/coach" ... someone who pushes the team toward optimal care of each patient and steps in (when necessary) to make it happen. Toward that end, I am constantly working to define the team, the problems, the solutions, the tasks and the jobs as they must be accomplished for each patient at all times, if we are to accomplish optimal patient care. 1. set and generate goals and 2. objectives (targets) 3. jobs and tasks 4. the care ... develop and coordinate the team and the care plan. Sounds simple ... It is not! Today: we have a new team ... it is June 1, so one senior resident stays and the pharmacy team is unchaanged, but there is a new intern and a new resident, which means that it will take several days ... if ever for the new folks to get up to speed. Consequently, the burden falls on the senior surgical resident and me ... to make sure everything gets done optimally. That is the way it is! Today, I focused on helping the new folks to understand "their job" ... we will see how well they can do it!!! Earlier in the week, these topics came up for discussion in the context of patient care. 1. Advanced Directives and lack thereof 2. Need for definitive care plan 3. Patient and Family as team members 4. Pancreatic Cancer 5. Biliary obstruction 6. Brain Protection 7. Custodial Patients ... what to do when folks can't make decisions and have nobody to make decisions for them??? 8. Pneumonia vs colonization 9. Importance of Perfusion 10.Need for a paradigm shift in American Healthcare 11.Why did you go into medicine? 12.Don't shoot from the hip ... use your brain. 13.Have a reason for everything you do. To be continued ... "This is a labor of love ... Lead with Heart and Drive with your Brain." Life is LoveTM(C) and StepWisely(R)TM(C) Have a great day and be careful out there. Dr. Mike PS. I got some great family feedback today ... always needed and appreciated ... Love for Love ... Always needed and sometimes it happens ... the healer gets healed in the process of healing.