Hayden Turk

Surgery Journal 10/5

During my surgery experience last week I was able to sit in a few surgeries.

These operations were smaller and quick which was really cool. In the room with me

was a student who was training to be a surgery assistant. This gave me the opportunity

to really learn in depth what has to happen between surgery to prepare the room for the

next surgery. Even while explaining everything the current assistant was able to move

very fast. The surgeries I were able to see were two internal device removals, and two

umbilical hernia repairs.

The device removals were very fast, the patient was in and out in 15 minutes.

The surgeon made a small, one inch, incision in the front of the shoulder and used

forceps to grab it and pull it out. The resident then did a few small sutures and closed

the patient. I wasn't able to get close enough to see what kind of device it was and the

patients were out so fast they did not even fill out a board. These were great to watch

because I was able to view the turn over process in really quick succession and really

learn how the patient is checked pre surgery all the way to when they were wheeled out

of the room. One of the nurses read the patient information and the surgeon and

assistant verified it was all correct. It was in between these surgeries that I talked to the

CRNA that was in on the surgery. This was great because I have been very interested

in that for a long time and it was really good to talk to her and find out that she went to

school at youngstown and she had been doing it for a few years. I asked how she liked

it and it was a really good to here all the good things she had to say about the job.
 The other surgery I observed was an umbilical hernia repair. This was done

laparoscopically so there were just three or four small holes to glue up at the end. When

I used to think of laparoscopic surgeries I didn't know what I was expecting but watching

it was very shocking. The abdomen was inflated and the ports were inserted through the

small incisions made in the skin above the abdomen. The light and camera were

inserted through these ports and the mesh was slid in through the port. The mesh was

then positioned over the hole in the musculature and stapled to the inside of the

abdominal wall. I was able to watch on the TV that was above the surgeon and

watching how the maneuver the mesh to the hole and how quickly they can do it was

very impressive.

Overall I loved getting the experience of the operating room and getting the feel

for what I hope to be doing in my future. I am very excited for the endo rotation at the

end of the semester because this is what my mom does as a nurse in my hometown

and getting to see what she does in her days is very exciting for me. I have really

enjoyed clinicals so far this year and i am looking forward to seeing how the rest of the

semester is.