The Bachelor

Yes, I know.  It's  a cheesy and silly show.

But it's one I just can't turn away from, just like a trashy novel.

And that cute little guy from the last show was so adorable....just the type of guy I would have gone for - oh, say - a million years ago.....

And .....there are - not one - not 2 - but 3 RNs in the competition for Ben. 
One is an L&D RN (from Vancouver BC no less!and omg is she related to the notorious Bacon Brothers?????holy cow - !!!Ben, you made a narrow escape!.....), the other a Critical Care RN(quit your crying already!!It's only a TV show for gosh sakes!)....the other one - from NY (picked for next wk)...not sure...but there must be a shortage of nursing jobs......for 3 of them to be on the show...

And then there is the blogger (awkwrd! drunk! Ben, are you nuts???).  And, just in case you were wondering what blog......here it is.

Have fun!

....more Drama to come.....

BostonMed part 2

I noticed that there aren't as many nurses featured on BostonMed anymore.  Others have also noted this same evolving  discrepancy  -  here and here.


Hmm.  Could it be because the focus has shifted in favor of the MDs as it usually does?  Or  - could it be that nurses are being a little bit smarter than MDs in regards to their visibility on a TV show?

 Case in point:

Did you see the episode 6 where the lead Pediatric Heart Surgeon at Mass General flippantly told the mom and dad that he would fix their little baby's heart defect  - no problem, don't worry?  He reassured the parents that he was going to be as good as new.

 This was this Doc's time to shine....although, the story didn't really go the way he anticipated.   After the surgery, the baby went sour and had to stay on the heart and lung machine for a week while they tried to figure out what went wrong.

The error was discovered by a Cardiologist that was brought in to look at the xrays a week later.....and his statement hinted this to the Surgeon ...."There is Something really really unusual..it looks so weird ...."  looking slightly uncomfortable having to say it in front of the cameras.   Not exactly coming right out and saying - "Surgeon, you screwed up and sewed the wrong vessel to the wrong side of the heart" - because, after all, the cameras were rolling......but nonetheless.....that statement hit like a lump of lead.....

At the moment it dawned on the Surgeon  - the cameras pan to him.   It is suddenly obvious to him    -  he has made a HUGE mistake -  and his head drops, hand fanning over his face - trying too late to hide the sick look the camera has already framed ........

Bad enough that it happened at all....but it was recorded by the cameras as evidence  -  AND  will now be shown on a highly publicized Hospital reality show that is going to be released across the USA and Canada.  

I noticed that not once did he say "I made a mistake" while the camera was on him - but instead - it seems the news was given to the parents off camera.  To his credit, he did admit it to them - and followed it up with "I can fix it".  This is the part that was glossed over on the show itself.   Hereafter the Surgeon  referred the second surgery as "making a revision because the connections weren't right"  as opposed to "fixing the mistake I made".  When questioned by the interviewer " what was the original mistake you made...?" he replied "..originally we just didn't have things hooked up the way we wanted them hooked up...so now we do....." 

You can see the parents' interview 18 months later here.   At the time of the "corrective surgery"  they were told there was a possibility that their baby could  be severely brain damaged, blind and/or have physical disabilities due to the error.

You can see on the news clip via the link above that they did take their baby home, and they were happy he is now seemingly ok, although he had to be fed by a feeding tube for months after due to the "damage from the surgery and being so long on life support". 

You will also note that the news video mentions that the Surgeon is no longer working at that hospital and also the pediatric cardiac surgery program at Mass General has been suspended.   I would hazard a guess that there was also a little bit of a settlement payout to the parents.

Which brings me back to the beginning of this blog entry.  How much exposure do you want on a Reality TV show as an RN anyway?  Clearly this Surgeon is feeling the repercussions of his error.

 I am sure people are constantly thinking, if not reminding him....."Hey, aren't you that surgeon that f***d up on that TV program?" (I am cleaning it up here)  I almost felt sorry for the guy - until I remembered that he was the one that signed all the release forms to appear on the show..... (never mind that he looks a little bit like my ex.....) 

We all make mistakes at one time or another.   I understand that.  We are only human.  But if I were to make a mistake....it would be agonizing enough to go through with -  firstly - the realization there was damage done,  then secondly - the apology to the patient,  then thirdly -  the  documenting/counselling process for any medical errors made - without THEN having it broadcasted to the WORLD.    Not the kind of notoriety I would want.

So,  perhaps it is a smart move on the part of the RNs to lay low - albeit probably not of their own choosing.   At the end of the news video, the parents had nothing but fabulous things to say about the anonymous nurses involved off camera.


When "Birth Stories" (or one of those popular facsimiles)  came to one of the Birthing Units I worked at  - I made darn sure I wasn't anywhere near the camera.  Heck - I don't even want my name on this blog,   as insignificant it is.....

Let the MDs take the glory on TV.    I will gladly go about my business off camera, thanks.

Breathe In, Breathe Out...

This is the link to my blog entry  from June 23 when I first saw the 2 young girls with Cystic Fibrosis singing on America's Got Talent. (Yes I admit to watching it!)  They have great voices which is amazing since we know as nurses what these 2 girls go through with their daily regimen to coexist with CF. Although medicine has advanced to the point where they could have a longer life than in the past...the reality is - they probably won't live into their 30s* - and any infection can bring them to their knees at any time


They impress me.....I have to root for these 2 girls!

BostonMed

I don't often like to watch "medically oriented" shows on tv. Don't care for Grey's Anatomy , House or any of those shows that depict a far-from-accurate picture of what really goes on in a hospital.

Reality TV such as "Birth stories" make me feel like I have done a whole shift and if I watch it before going to work, it is just like doing a double shift. I am exhausted. Plus a lot of the "stuff" that goes on.......well, some of it is just too interventional plus they cut out all the "real" stuff.

But one show that is somewhat like reading some of the medical blogs in blog world is "BostonMed" on ABC. Intoxicated patients telling nurses to "F* off " and then vomiting all over her....well, that's real stuff. Sure it is highly edited, but you get a more true picture of what goes on.

Love it.

If you want video to go with the blogs you read on the internet.....try watching BostonMed.

It's Life.