What to expect when I get to observe a surgery...?

Question

Hi! I am 15, and have been volunteering my time in the recovery room at my states main hospital for some time now.

I have gotten to know a lot of the doctors, nurses, and surgeons...

And today, I was chatting with a surgeon, and she invited me to observe a surgery next week...

She didn't specify what kind, but I figure I will brush up on simple anatomy stuff...

Also, I know that I am to stand out of the way, but she did say that either she or someone else can answer my questions/briefly explain what is going on.

I know I won't get sick or anything (I have watched way too many videos on surgery websites, lol), but what is the process going to be like? I will follow the patient from the holding unit to the OR, and then to the RR. Can someone explain exactly what happens, in what order and where? Any terms/knowledge/experience would be highly appreciated!!!! Thanks guys!!! =]]]

Answer 1

It depends on whether you will be viewing from a surgery viewing room or the OR itself. Basically, if you're in the viewing room, you'll just watch and listen. But if you go into the OR, you will be instructed on scrubbing in and will put on sterile gown and gloves. After that, you'll go into the OR where you will be positioned out of the way to prevent contamination. Ask the surgeon "Before" going into surgery if you can ask questions. It could be a distraction to have someone asking questions while the doc is removing something important...it could get you ejected from the room. Also...wear warm socks...the OR gets very cold and when you are just standing there for a long time...it's even colder!

Answer 2

Is the patient aware that you will be watching? There is a privacy issue here.

Holding unit ... they lie there and are bored.

OR ... usually starts with anaethesiologist knocking them out, then thye get covered up with sterile cloth- a bare spot left for the surgery.

Then what happens really depends on what surgery is happening. They swab with betadine, and start slicing and retracting and moving things around.

One of the best spots, if you can get permission from the gas passer, is by the anaesthesiologist at the patient's head, looking towards the patient's feet. It'sleast likely to be blocked by bodies and heads.  

Answer 3

I've only attended a surgery once, when my wife had a Caesarean section with an epidural anaesthetic. She was conscious throughout the operation but couldn't feel anything. They set up a curtain so that she couldn't see what was going on, but I could see the whole operation. It was very interesting.

I don't think I have any particular advice other than to watch everything - it is fascinating, and really brings home to you the miracle of how we are made from stuff like blood and guts, yet we work, and are human.