I Don't Know
Gynecology has never been my forte. Something about having to police clean versus dirty stuff during cases bugs the crap out of me so historically, I've avoided GYN cases whenever possible. (I also avoid GYN because it is dangerously close to people's butts, and if you've read my blog you know that bad things happen near the butt.) That being said, my ability to avoid GYN cases was thwarted when I was one of the few people trained to use a new tissue removal system. From that day forward, if there was a case using the new system, I was going to get it. Hooray?
This wouldn't have been such a bad thing if it wasn't for three awful realities:
1) Vaginas....Ewww.
2) ALL the GYN surgeons wanted to use the new system.
3) Exactly NONE of the GYN surgeons knew how to use it.
This third point was driven home when, for the third time, I handed a surgeon the handpiece and was met with a blank stare. One extra fabulous day, my circulator walked in and announced, "I've never seen this before. How do you set it up?" Moments later, my surgeon waltzed in and proclaimed, "I hope you guys know how to use this because I don't." All I could do was wonder if, somewhere on the consent, the patient had been informed that they were going to be a practice dummy that day. (sigh) Thankfully, the vendor rep was in the hospital. We grabbed her and she walked them through the procedure.
As tech's we're expected to be experts on the equipment we're using. In a perfect world, everyone would get in-service demonstrations of all the new stuff introduced in the OR. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. Hospitals try their best, but busy case loads and rotating schedules often hinder their efforts. Sometimes we're blessed with vendor reps who are able to train us on the fly. Other times, you scramble to find another tech to explain things. In the worst cases, you muster up your best Ikea-furniture-building skills and try to assemble things by sheer force of will. (Or just give up and cry...whatever.)
"I don't know." Three words you never want to, but will inevitably say in the OR. You might fear reproach from the surgeon or hate the eye-rolling you'll get from your circulator, but it's going to happen sooner or later. It happens to everybody and it's 100% okay (as long as you learn from it when you get an answer). Contrary to popular belief, we aren't gods and don't know everything. The good news is: neither does anyone else! You'll notice in the preceding story that is was the surgeon and the circulator who were in the dark. In some of my previous blog posts, I was definitely the uninformed party. Not knowing something can (and does) happen to everyone, so have no fear.
In surgical technology, people like to say, "Fake it until you make it." I partially agree with this statement. There's something to be said about pushing the boundaries of your knowledge and confidence to get you through a rough patch. However, it is important to pick your battles. Ask yourself, "Will not knowing harm my patient?" There are situations that you can critically think you're way through, but if you ever feel like you're putting a patient's safety at risk, STOP and call for help. Pride is worth WAY less than safety.
When I first started writing this post, it was meant to be a goofy story about surgeons not knowing what they were doing, but then I realized...Uncertainty is universal. Looking back, it probably took a lot of courage for those GYN surgeons to step into my room and admit they didn't know how to do something. If you work in the OR, you know that admitting they aren't perfect isn't something surgeons generally confess. (To the contrary, there are several I've known who can't fit themself and their ego through a doorway at the same time.) Sometimes being able to admit your weakness is a huge strength. Be proud of what you know and also of your ability to admit what you don't. It will make you a better tech and you'll gain the trust and respect of the people you work with.
Until next time, stay sterile.
