After treating a patient in the ER, they could either be released to their unit, sent to a recovery ward, or transferred to Pre-Op for surgery preparation.
Now it was time for me to move on to my next stage of training, and I was moved over to Pre-Op to learn as much as I could in that setting.
Get Them Ready for Surgery
The patients who arrived in Pre-Op were on their way to surgery.
They might have come from the ER, or an aid station, or from a referral by a doctor who knew they needed a particular surgery.
In Pre-Op, our job was to prepare them thoroughly for their upcoming surgery.
We would, of course, check them out and monitor their vitals.
But we might also be tasked with administering some medications to the patient, or clearing an airway, or setting them up with an IV.
We would also check and clean the area of the surgery which might require us to shave the area or give it a special cleaning.
Take This Little Tube and Do What With It?
Often in preparing a patient for surgery, we needed to insert a catheter in the patient.
The idea of inserting a long tube, or catheter, into a patient’s penis was a bit unnerving to me and sounded like it would be a far from pleasant experience for the patient.
But I was supposed to learn how to do that.
I worried the patient might resist, maybe even fight, as I tried to carry out the procedure.
A Good Teacher
Now I was trained by a nurse who was a very good teacher. She set me up to watch her do the procedure. She opened up a catheter kit, which contained a catheter, gloves, wipes, a urine collection bag, and other stuff. Then she carefully explained each step of the process as she demonstrated how to insert a catheter in one of our patients.
The patient didn’t scream.
The patient didn’t need to be held down.
In fact, the procedure went quickly as the nurse explained the importance of each step and how to do it correctly.
It didn’t look like it hurt the patient at all.
Okay, I could do this.
Then it was my turn to do the procedure.
The nurse watched as I inserted the catheter into the patient, and she was ready to help if I needed her help. But it actually went very well. No problems. No complications. And no unhappy patient.
I got pretty good at doing the procedure and felt I was really helping the patient get ready for surgery.
And Then …
One day a Vietnamese girl was rushed into Pre-Op. She had been riding a motor scooter on the base and got hit by a jeep.
I followed the routine procedures we did with every guy who came into pre-op. I removed her clothes, checked her vitals, and … well, I should probably explain.
Something was different.
As I was getting her ready, a nurse walked quickly from the other side of the room, took out a sheet, and covered her.
Normally we didn’t cover the guys until after we had done some of the initial work on the patient, but in this case, I think the nurse made a wise decision.
It helped me focus on my job, and it made the patient more comfortable as well.
Then I was told to put in a catheter. I got the kit, folded back the sheet so just the area I would be working on would be visible, and I stood there wearing my gloves and holding the tube.
For those of you who have bought into our current culture, I should probably point out … and I know you may not believe me … but there actually is a difference between a man and a woman.
I had become pretty good at inserting a catheter in a man.
A woman, however, …
Fortunately … praise the Lord … Hallelujah … a perceptive nurse noticed me standing next to the patient and came to my side.
“Have you ever done this to a woman before?” she asked.
“No,” I said.
“May I do it,” she offered.
I gladly let her do the procedure.
I love nurses!
Another thing I learned in Pre-Op.
Doctors are Human
Often the doctor who was scheduled to do the surgery would come into Pre-Op to check on the patient, talk to them, and give us more directions to prepare that particular patient for surgery.
I was fascinated watching the doctors work with patients. Some had excellent bedside manners, raising the patient’s spirits, letting them know that everything would be okay. Some doctors … well, let’s just say they didn’t have good bedside manners.
I also noticed that sometimes a doctor had to take quick action to deal with a problem in Pre-Op, such as repairing a suture that had torn open and needed to be repaired.
For some reason, I had believed that every doctor could do everything well. I learned that wasn’t true. Doctors were human beings with different skills.
While some doctors were incredibly skilled at addressing these issues, others were … let’s just say … less than adept.
And … this was important … their skill had nothing to do with their bedside manner.
There were a couple of important lessons I learned during my time in Pre-Op.
LESSONS FROM MY DAYS IN OLIVE DRAB
There is a difference between a man and a woman.
I didn’t have to take a class explaining that gender was a “feeling” or a “choice” or a “social construct.” It was actually pretty obvious to us fifty years ago. But for those of you who have been programmed otherwise in today’s world, God makes it pretty clear in the Bible as well.”Male and female he created them …”
Genesis 5:2 (ESV)Doctors are people.
Now I really like a doctor who has a good bedside manner, but if I am having an important procedure done (I’ve had heart surgery, and a couple of knee replacements) I want the doctor who is the most skilled, even if that doctor has a terrible bedside manner.
What’s Next?
I hope you will join me in the next episode, where I’ll a share about the most memorable event that happened during my time at the 91st Evacuation Hospital.
Pre-Op: The 91st Evacuation Hospital