Kids Emergency

This week I am rostered on at the Emergency Department. Over the last couple of years, I have been slowly developing a liking to emergency medicine. Even though it is not always the adrenaline-pumping full-resuscitation cases with patients bleeding profusely as doctors bark orders while jumping on the patients’ chests as the stretcher races down the hall – in fact, that’s rarely the case – I really like the variety of presentations that’s characteristic of the specialty. So, I really look forward to my week at the children’s emergency department at the hospital.

Today I am on from 3 pm to 9 pm. This being my first day, I am still trying to find my way around the department. The consultants and registrars are incredibly nice to us. I have noticed that all the pediatricians I have met so far have been good teachers and really pleasant to work with. It makes sense: in order to be able to get kids to cooperate, the doctors just have to be pleasant to work effectively. It is hard enough to get kids to cooperate during examinations, a grumpy doctor would basically make that an impossible proposition.

The kids around Brisbane must have had a rough weekend. Late in the afternoon, the waiting room is filled with kids with various injured joints. As a medical student, all I can really do to help out the registrars and residents is by seeing the subacute cases: a sprained ankle, a swollen thumb, a rugby-related knee injury… Before long, it’s nine o’clock – the end of my shift. I have not had dinner, but I don’t even feel hungry. Normally, by this time, my thought would be on nothing but food and I’d be gnawing on my pen already.

“You coming in tomorrow?” the registrar asks me. “Yeah, three to nine again.” “Good, I’ll be on in the evening again. See you then, I’ll get you to do some good work.” With that, I change into my cycling clothes, hop on my bike, and ride down the quiet road toward home.