Is the Pain Worth it?

Its always nice to hear from former classmates and today was no exception.  Mel moved with her husband out to Florida after graduation and is now working and living it up in the Sun State with her husband.  While going through the “educational process” of becoming a CRNA here at the University of Southern California, all of the difficulties and seemingly unending struggles both in the classroom and in clinical rotations tend to dull the enthusiasm a bit.

Mel never lost here enthusiasm through loss of sleep and all the struggles SRNA’s go through.

Here is her letter to Dr. Michele Gold the program director at USC that puts it all in perspective:

Hi Dr Gold,

I just needed to drop you a quick line to Thank You and all of my preceptors and teachers at USC. As you know, I am out here in Florida, and it has been a real eye-opener as to the superior education and training that I have received at USC compared to (unfortunately) a lot of new graduates and students that I have come in contact with.  It has made me appreciate my “painful” two years even more….and I never thought Id say that Hope all is well with you and the program, we are loving our new life in Florida.

Sincerely,
Mel

Its a good thing for current students and candidates to any nurse anesthesia program to hear the stories of others however brief.  During our time in “The Program” at USC Mel and I did struggle more than a few times with what seemed at the time to be unreasonable expectations.  To say that its tough to become a CRNA is a true statement.  Think about it.  Would you want some lazy inattentive provider giving anesthesia to your grandmother?  Wouldn’t you want the brightest most vigilant anesthetist with the experience to handle any difficulty during the anesthetic to be at the head of the bed.  That’s what all anesthesia providers strive for whether physician or nurse anesthetist.

A case in point.  Yesterday afternoon a gun shot wound victim was “RB’d” to the OR.  Three CRNA’s and a first year resident were on hand to start the case that very quickly required all the standard lines, arterial central and multiple large peripheral IV’s.  We began the case immediately when the guy arrived with a Level One rapid infuser in the room.  We ended the case the two Level One’s going for volume resuscitation, I was giving a lot of blood products.  After an hour and a half the surgeons were mopping up and the attending anesthesiologist walked back in the room and smiled saying what a great job we all had done. Thankfully these kind of cases are not common out in the community.  But here at the largest level one trauma center in Los Angele’s we see a variety of crazy things from massive trauma from train wrecks, car crashes and of course the “knife and gun” club action.

I am glad that the training we received has prepared us to handle these as well as the routine.