Reading the comments on another blog recently (the blog of the world's most dastardly lurker) I was reminded of a thing that always drove me crazy. No matter where I was, in the locker room of every OR and surgical center in which I've worked, there were guys who left their scrub clothes and towels on the floor. And their caps and shoe covers, often within an arm's reach of the receptacles into which they could easily be placed. Moreover, whereas I never risked the perversion-alert of hanging around long enough to check, I'd be willing to bet my (admittedly depreciated) left nut it was exclusively the surgeons -- as opposed to the various techs and nurses -- who behaved that way. It annoyed the hell out of me. Embarrassed me. I actually went around picking all the stuff up and putting it in the hampers, because I hated to imagine the housekeepers having to do it, surely thinking what a bunch of spoiled assholes those doctors were -- and including me in their scorn. I always wondered if they left their clothes on the floor at home as well. Based on the doctors' wives I knew, I doubted it, although a few were on their second or third. So who knows? [Disclosure: I collect a pile of socks near my bed. But when it's big enough, I wash them myself.]
One time I left a note on the bulletin board in the main locker room: Unless your mother or wife is expected soon, pick up your own goddamn scrubs. Until the sign disappeared, things looked a little better.
5 comments:
hee hee. I love the photo.
I stopped by your blog today to thank you for the writing you've done over the last few years. I've been an avid reader of your blog and your book. I'm a nursing student just finishing up my first year of school, and yesterday was my first time in the OR as an observer. Thanks to reading your explanations and descriptions, I had a MUCH better idea what I was seeing and what was going on. So thank you!
Thank YOU! I always enjoyed having nursing students come into the OR (as long as they remained vertical); I liked showing them stuff. The brave ones asked good questions, too.
I do not spend time in the OR areas, but our doctors lounge fits your description -- people spill food and leave it. Eat from a plate, drink from a cup and leave the empties sitting there.
I imagine they do not clean up at home either -- probably a job for their wives or housekeeper.
Dr. Schwab ... the photo definitely caught my eye ... :o)
I assure you, it's not just a surgeon's malady ... although I'd best not go into detail. It seems to be a widespread notion that certain parts of the population are the pigeons, and the rest are the statues ... *blink*
What is the explanation for seeing scrubs(tops and bottoms), booties, caps and gloves strewn in the stairwell between the basement ORs (outpatient) and the third floor ORs (trauma / emergency)? I am always worried when I climb those stairs that I will eventually see a naked surgeon (especially if they are of the persuasion to not wear underclothes)....
or is this the visual proof or the superman complex inherent in the surgeon? Ripping off one set of clothes to disclose the hero underneath?
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