Goals Today

1. take vitals
2. read charts
3. make beds
4. don't faint

Yesterday was the start of clinicals for my ob-gyn class. I'll be working for two days a week at a public hospital in Brooklyn, taking vitals, observing procedures and generally trying not to kill anyone.

Things were moving along swimmingly when I got the opportunity to observe a circumcision. Hooray for nice doctors! Four of us gathered around the as he put two shots of Lidocaine in the balls and went to work. Things were going great! I was asking questions and leaning in for a good look. All done... thank you doctor... feel better lil' baby... close the door... oh dear... tunnel vision... lightheaded... can't stop it... "I'm fine! I'm fine! I'm fine!" ... nope.

I didn't full-on faint but I needed to sit down for a minute. I'm so humiliated, how will I handle the ER if I can't handle a little circumcision?

I felt better when my roommate (the ER resident) said he has fainted twice during procedures... both times in ob-gyn procedures. I wasn't hydrated enough, it was right before lunch and my blood sugar was probably low, and I was probably holding my breath. Now it's time to get back on the horse.

Update: Two more circs observed and no lightheadedness, hooray! Two other girls in my group hit the floor though. At least I'm not the only one.