Inside the ER: Third Week at EMRAP

I finally took more pictures during my third week at EMRAP! I can take pictures anywhere in the hospital, as long as there are no patient information, sensitive information, and certain sights present in the picture (which means, I can probably never take pictures inside the ER). However, here are some pictures from this week! Also, my post this week is more about my colleagues than my experiences inside the ER!

My Friend Christina

(Christina is the Best!)

Christina is the first person who I became friends with in EMRAP.  We decided to carpool together because we always had the same shadowing shifts on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This week is the last week that we can carpool together because starting next week, we begin our independent shifts. Christina is a person who will make sure to stand up for her beliefs! I was very impressed by how she e-mailed different people in order for her class concerns to be heard. I believe that she will make a great Diversity Peer Educator next year on ResStaff, and I also believe that she will become a great physician in the future. Even though she is younger than me and even though I have only known her for a few weeks, she has taught me to keep persevering and to stand up for my beliefs. She also taught me that certain situations can happen unexpectedly, and that one should embrace it when it happens. Moreover, she taught me to be more opened and to learn to not stress too much. Thank you Christina! I hope I can have more adventures with you as this internship continues!

My Mentor Nimra

Nimra has been an amazing mentor during these past three weeks. She was there to help Christina and I meet the physicians and nurses, and she also helped us understand our roles. She reminded us about our attire for the hospital, which shows that she cares about our roles and that she cares about the hospital.  I admire how easy-going she is, and yet, she is also very professional. When Christina and I were on a lunch break, she took the time to eat with us, and she even talked about college life with us. However, when it was time to work, she was extremely professional; she made sure to perform her duties correctly and efficiently. 

From these past three weeks, I learned that Nimra was a part of the EMRAP program before, and now, she works for a lab in SJMHS and for the EMRAP program. I hope that I can also work in a lab and work with the EMRAP program during my gap year. I hope that Nimra and I can get to know each other more, and I will definitely ask her more questions about what she did to get such rewarding jobs. 

(A view from the 11th floor of SJMHS during a tour that Nimra, Haitham, Christina, and I took)

My Research Shifts and Class Experience

The past two weeks, I shadowed doctors and nurses, but this week, I shadowed Nimra and witnessed her role as a Research Associate (RA). As a Research Associate of EMRAP, we have to perform clinical research by interacting with patients and getting their consents to participate in national and local studies. During this week, I learned that as an RA, I have to introduced myself to the charge nurse and the supervising physician whenever I begin my shift. I feel that this is a good opportunity for me to get to know the medical staff really well because I will be working a regular shift every week and I will be introducing myself each time. I feel that this is a good networking opportunity because I probably will become familiar with doctors who might be able to mentor me! 

Also, as an RA, I have to constantly check First Net, a program that the hospital uses to keep track of patient data. There are certain guidelines and restrictions that I have to follow when accessing First Net. First, I cannot open any charts that are not relevant to the studies. Second, I always have to lock the computers or minimize certain windows to keep patient information private. I am glad that these precautions are taught to every medical staff member because patient information is personal (I wouldn't want my information just lying around everywhere either!). Besides learning how to access First Net for screening patients, I also learned that we have to perform quality studies to ensure the efficiency of the hospital. It seem that I have several responsibilities as an RA, but I am glad that I do because it will make 4 hours go by fast! 

For class this week, we learned about a local study that was initiated by a physician at SJMHS. The study takes a look at the Lactate Pro device, a handheld or point of care device that is often used in ambulances. This device measures the lactate levels of a person, which could determine the severity of a person's condition in terms of sepsis (systemic infection). Usually, the paramedics use this device and relay it to the ER, but at the ER, lactate levels are measured and analyzed via lab testing. This study will look at how accurate the Lactate Pro device compared to the lactate lab results. If the device reflect the lab results, then the medical field can take steps in the future to ensure efficiency by trusting the readings of the Lactate Pro. I am really excited to be a part of this study, and I hope that I am able to handle the process of consenting patients for the study. Sepsis is a serious issue, and I am scared that I might not be able to consent patients whose families are already stressed out. I hope that I learn how to get informed consent, but I also must remember that if the patient or the legally authorized representative declines, then I must respect their decisions.

(Dress for Success! Thanks Mom for this outfit!)