There is a certain air of confidence that is supposed to be present in every doctor. That is supposed to inspire confidence in their patient and give the patient faith, and hope, that what is being done for them is in their best interest and will work.The doctor is prepared for any eventuality.
There are many questions from a patient regarding treatment/surgery and what will be done. What if something unexpected happens or there is a complication? One is supposed to guide them through this maze of minuscule possibilities and rightful fears to the decision making point which is supposed to be benefiting them.
The doctor is responsible for ALL outcomes, good or bad. He has to explain "why?" if anything untoward happens. Nobody will ask him a question when everything goes to plan. What gives a doctor the confidence to say things like "Don't worry, everything will be fine!" "This procedure will take approximately 3 hours and then the patient will be discharged and at home by dinnertime!"
Experience.
An unassuming 1st year resident!
I was a young first year resident and it was a typical Thursday evening 7pm post OT day. We had just finished a 36 hour stint that started on Wednesday morning 7 am. I had one last patient which was an old uncle admitted in another part of the hospital. He had a nose bleed and his nose was packed for the last 48hours. I was supposed to go and remove that pack.
Exhausted, to save time, I went directly to his bed, and told him that I would remove his pack then. His son was by his side. As I started the procedure, all was well. I was waiting for the post pack removal ooze to stop, but all of a sudden there was a gush of blood. I pinched his nosed waited. No avail. Struggling to control this, and panicking as I realised my situation, without any equipment, I urged the patients son to hold his nose tight, and RAN from one end of the hospital to the other to get my equipment. I did the needful in the end, but it caused immense discomfort to a son and an elderly gentlemen for a good 15 minutes. Something which shouldn't have had to happen.
When my Senior Resident at the time learned of this incident and she asked me why I didn't carry my equipment, my answer to her was, "I did not expect it to happen!"
She gave me lesson on preparedness and the duty of a doctor to the patient first and self later, and moved on to treating that uncle. (Turned out he had Osler Weber Rendu disease).
At that time, working tiring shifts and days merging into weeks, I forgot about that incident. I didn't repeat that, but it was not something I thought about at all. It was now ingrained to be prepared. That gave me the assurance that such an incident would never occur again on my watch. As I got senior, and I began supervising my juniors, I ensured they got this lesson from me without having to commit the same mistakes.
(My seniors and colleague who pushed me to my limits as much as encouraged me to do better)
Now, nearly 9 years later as I write this, a full fledged ENT surgeon practising on my own, a doctor with some degree of confidence, I realise every single day, that "IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BLEED!" is not an answer I can give anyone. It inspires me to do the best I can for every patient.
I have to be prepared. I have to know things. I have to be ready for any outcome.
“Mistakes have the power to turn you into something better than you were before.” Anonymous