A Week in DGH

Not having the internet has really hampered my blogging. Every time I think of something I want to write I’m off at the DGH, in the middle of nowhere with no internet access bar that in the hospital, while always has blogger blocked.

Because of this I’ve decided to pre-type some posts while at DGH and publish them on the weekends when I’m home.

Recently I’ve been nattering on and on about myself, and not much about the course so this week I’m going to write a little run down of what I’m doing during the week. You never know… it may actually motivate me to do a little more!

MONDAY

I had every intention of having a productive day. I got up nice and early, had a lovely warm shower and got ready. The warm shower was important as I had to defrost myself. My room at DGH is soooooo cold. To top it off we have a sheet and a blanket which I can only describe as being crocheted out of string. I don’t know if crocheted is a word?

Anyway I got ready and set off for the hospital. Although the hospital isn’t that big I find it really confusing so I set off a little early, getting to the clinic for 8.50… 10 minutes early.

Firstly I asked the receptionist what rooms the clinic was happening. She said she wasn’t 100% sure as the other receptionist wasn’t in, but to wait in the corridor. So I stood in the corridor like a lemon until a nurse walked past. I stopped the nurse and asked about the clinic to which she replied, “Well you’re 5 minutes early… I’m sure everyone will be here soon”

I thought this was a little bizarre as there were no patients here at this point and clinic was due to start in 5 minutes, but I trusted this nurse and waited…

… I kept waiting, and at 9.30 I found the nurse again. She looked at me blankly like she’d never seen me before and said “Well… noone’s turned up so I guess it’s cancelled?” Fabulous. No-one knows what’s happening and I’ve wasted my time. Time wasting seems to be what medical students do best.

All the other clinics already had students so I sulked, went back to my room and spent the whole day working on my HUGE essay about my elective. It’s now well over half way so at least that was something.

TUESDAY

Surprise surprise… teaching was cancelled at lunchtime. Did discover that the hospital café has coffee that’s less than half the price and a million times nicer than the expensive place near the main reception.

Managed to get some “educational” internet access too so I have a bit more information for my elective essay. Hoping to have it finished by the end of next week and ready to print off and hand in a little bit early. I’m also starting revision which is difficult as I have no idea what the questions will be like!

I had a mad moment in the evening where I had to do a last minute dash into the hospital for chocolate and a trashy magazine. It’s actually pretty isolated here, no shop in walking distance (except that in the hospital), no internet access that allows you to get to anything fun and only channels 1-5 on the TV. Disappointing for an E4 addicted like myself. I thought it would make me work more, but I’m not the kind of person to cosy-up in bed with a textbook.

WEDNESDAY

Went to an audit meeting today that lasted all morning. Essentially it was about 60 people squeezed in a room for 20 people and talked about the different audits going on, and how the department can use problems it’s come across to learn from and improve their service for patients.

Even though it went on for hours it was really interesting and made me see the point of audits. It makes me wish that there were more opportunities to do an audit as a student. We always seem to be rushed in and out of placements so quickly that there isn’t the time, and when in the central London hospitals all the audits are pretty much snapped up by junior doctors. Perhaps more audits could be offered as special study modules, giving more students the chance to take part?


…. I think that’s probably enough to read for now. I’ll add some more about the rest of the week later, once I’ve recovered from the week!

Lily xXx