CA-1 year stress

sit back, relax, and enjoy ca-1 year.

the learning curve is steep, yes. But it's not an impossible climb.

aknowledge the fact that you know very little and have a great deal of progress to make. it's ok to miss procedures or make mistakes. it's ok to look clumsy drawing up drugs. it's ok if everybody is waiting on your for your room to be ready. there are a MILLION little tasks and skills to learn as a ca-1. (don't worry though you could teach a monkey to do most of them). clumsiness, mistakes, slow room turnover...it's expected....early on at least.

honestly, i could write a book on all the stupid things my co-residents and I did as ca-1's. from putting on the bairhugger upside down, to letting prbc's go into the LR bag, to putting in an arrow aline without the catheter portion, to accidentally taking off my mask in the heart room, to spraying propofol all over myself trying to draw it up, to trying to find the femoral vein lateral to the artery, to putting on the ekg leads backwards....the stories i've heard and been a part of are endless.... open up to your fellow ca-1's and share your embarrassing stories or personal stress. nobody is perfect. you will be surprised to hear that they have all done things to look stupid and feel over stressed. learn from each other's mistakes and be open. it'll build comradarie.

the stupid mistakes will be overlooked if you......

ask a million questions. seek advice. read daily. show initiative. be humble. try to get better at one or two things every day. ask your seniors and attendings daily where you could have done better. be a hard worker and team player. go the extra mile.

most of the mundane workflow tasks, nursing skills, and advanced procedural techniques will just come with time and practice. if you fail, don't get down, just examine where things went wrong. think about your efficiency and technique and how you can improve. believe that you will get better.

most importantly, don't get wrapped up in all the small nursing skills, details of workflow, ect and miss the big picture of PERIOPERATIVE MEDICINE. know your patients comorbities and how they relate to the surgical procedure and how they shape your anesthetic plan. focus just as much on the medicine considerations as you do perfecting your aline skills. be a DOCTOR.

accept and embrace the challenge and your outlook will change and your stress level will decrease.

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CA-1 year stress