Longitudinal Placements (LP) are clinical observerships organized by the student in domain of his/her choice to gain relevant clinical knowledge in that area of medicine What LP did you do? I did an LP in the Emergency Room at Norfolk General Hospital. It is considered a rural hospital with 106 beds to serve about 65 000 residents. How did you go about contacting and arranging the LP? I arranged this LP with the help of my Student Advisor. She referred me to a PA who is practicing in the Norfolk ER, and I was able to spend two 8-hour shifts in the emerg. It was great to see exactly what PA's role would be in an ER setting. What were the two main things you learned from the LP? This LP allowed me to understand how an ER functions and recognize some of the challenges that rural hospitals face. For example, rural hospitals have their own set of special populations that they need to address, and they have to be especially aware of the resources that are available to them in the area. There is also a great deal of inter-hospital collaboration to allow for more specialized care for patients. I was also able to observe and be involved in a bunch of procedures, like suturing, casting, INDs, and cardioversion. It was especially exciting to actually get to see the procedures you learn about in tutorials and textbooks in practice! What did you wish you knew beforehand to help you in your LP? I wish I had a few a more physical examination skills so that I could have been more involved in the patient interaction process. How has this experience helped you clinically, in class and/or in career decision making?
Before this experience, I was not familiar with what exactly goes on in an ER. This experience allowed me to understand exactly what kind of patients are managed, and how important it is to have good inter-professional relationships to ensure things run seamlessly. Any other comments? This LP was a fantastic opportunity to get a feel for a health care setting and to understand the role of a PA within it. My preceptor and the staff at Norfolk were all very encouraging and supportive, and being at a smaller ER made the space seem much more manageable than an urban hospital might be. That being said, I would most definitely like to go back once I have learned a bit more so that I can be involved more independently next time! Longitudinal Placements (LP) are clinical observerships organized by the student in domain of his/her choice to gain relevant clinical knowledge in that area of medicine What LP did you do? I did the Hamilton EMS ambulance ride-along 12 hour shift. How did you go about contacting and arranging the LP? Contacted Nancy Weller who provided me with the paperwork required by Hamilton EMS to arrange date. I gave Nancy 3 dates that I was available to do the shift, and shortly after she gave me my shift date and time. What were the two main things you learned from the LP? It gave me a new perspective of the first response team and how important their role is in health care. I also learned how a patient's condition is coded (code 4=Lights on!) and how dispatch communicates with the paramedics to make sure that they are cared for as quickly as possible. What did you wish you knew beforehand to help you in your LP? Although what you encounter during any given shift is unknown (so you could be busy the full 12 hours or be waiting around for half the day), I did have a period of about 2 hours that we were waiting at the base, so I wish I had brought more reading material or study notes. Also make sure to bring food and layers if you are doing it during the winter. How has this experience helped you clinically, in class and/or in career decision making? It was great to communicate with patients and get a better perspective of the interaction between health care providers and the patient. As a future PA, the opportunity to work in first response is limited but it did give me insight in what it would be like to work in the Emergency room. It made me excited for my upcoming ER placements. Share your most memorable experience from the LP! My most memorable experience was when we were on stand-by at a fire, it was really cool to go on the other side of the yellow tape and see how all teams (police, paramedics and firefighters) work together in response to a disaster. Also, I enjoyed hearing all the interesting stories and experiences the paramedics had. Any other comments? I would highly recommend that everyone try a ride along at least once! Although it was a long shift it provides a unique experience that allow us to see what happens before the patient arrives at ER. |
ARCHIVES
May 2019
Categories
All
|