I think I saw a record breaking number of inpatients today!
(Thankfully just a few outpatients. Though some were complicated.)
I am now faced with a pile of documentation which feels a little bit daunting but also . . . they are just notes. There was definitely a point in my career where I would have been horrified at the number of unchecked boxes on my list at this “late-ish” afternoon hour.
My system (extremely analog, and basically unchanged since fellowship) is that I write a list with checkboxes in 3 columns: S, N, O which stand for Seen, Notes, Orders. Each patient’s name goes on the left. I do NOT use our giant master list for this because that has more patients that I end up needing to see on a given day. That is the list I color code in order to figure out who actually makes it on the “SEEING TODAY” list, and then obviously I add new consults as they come up.
I can breathe right now because everyone’s “S” column is checked off and most of the “O“. What is left is a lot of work but also, it’s just notes.
And now I will go and write them.
Looking forward to in the near future:
- having no outpatients tomorrow just inpatients (way better than having to handle both- one of the hardest things is getting messaged 5x while seeing a complex outpatient who I really am trying to give my full attention to. That happened today and I just ignored the messages until after and it was fine but still distracting.) NOTE: we do not see a full day of outpatients on call/inpatient days, think ~1/3 of usual volume usually urgent add-ons plus we see whoever needs to be seen in the hospital
- the weekend! Call over the weekend is so much better because you can make up for interrupted sleep by sleeping in a bit. ONE more night and I’ll be up to that part. (We do go to the hospital and see patients on weekends too but it doesn’t usually take up a full day.)
- Sbux breakfast tomorrow (I already did once on Tuesday but not since then)
- Social lunch tomorrow hopefully (have not done in forever but hopefully can make it happen tomorrow)
- Harry Potter #3 over the weekend
- TJs pumpkin lunch on Sunday (I hope!)
Honestly some call weeks I just want to wish the entire week away; I haven’t felt like that this week. So that’s good. But now it’s really time to write those 12 notes.
7 Comments
Okay Sarah you are getting close! I know call week doesn’t end till Monday morning, but it does sound like the weekend is easier. I think this is something we all struggle with- the desire to “wish away” certain phases of our lives. You’re doing a great job of finding little things to enjoy instead of just wanting the week to pass by. As we know, every day counts : )
YESSSS EVERY DAY COUNTS!!!
I made a similar chart for the Letters of Support and Biosketches I need from my collaborators, chair, and advisory team for this grant I am writing. It’s sobering to look at 3-6 boxes per person that need to be completed… but at least it keeps me from falling into the “everything is FINE” trap when it is NOT FINE. (And it’s not. I have 4 more weeks to prepare this grant and like 2 non-clinical days, including weekends, between now and then. I may have to cancel my trip to visit my parents who I haven’t seen in over a year. Deep breaths.)
ANYWAY. Glad your call week is almost done!
When you do a master list and it turns out the work IS overwhelming it does suck 🙁 BUT at least then you can figure out a plan and I still feel like it’s better to see it all than have that uncomfortable unfeeling of uncertainty about what is actually due/urgent/pressing. I hope it goes quicker than it looks and hope you don’t have to cancel your trip!!!
But on the positive side, I didn’t get called in overnight so I have a whole extra day (today) to work on stuff! It’s such a relief!
HUUUUUUUGE WIN!!!!!!
I got a bunch of new consults today already but also NONE overnight so I am not sleep deprived. Makes an enormous difference!
Yessssss