I work in the Operating Theatre. AMA

[1AnotherOne]

I’m an Operating Department Practitioner working in the private sector.

I work the majority the time in a senior speciality role as a scrub practitioner or surgical first assistant.

Sometimes I work alongside the anaesthetist.

ask me anything!

fascinating thread op - great to hear from someone who clearly enjoys their work! I had an appendectomy whilst heavily pregnant. Have you ever operated on a pregnant woman? If so, was it different than a normal version of the same procedure? I didn’t really get a chance to speak to the surgical team as I was taken to antenatal for recovery.

Well I’m sure that’ll comfort those fearful of upcoming surgery 🙄

I had surgery and GA for the first time last October and it was not half as bad as I was expecting. I was fine when I came round, just dehydrated, tired and not hungry. I felt tearful the following day and this can be due to the anaesthetic apparently. But honestly, my experience was not anywhere near as bad as I had built it up in my head. You’ll be fine x x

Sorry 🤐

Yes fascinating. I had 1st every surgery last year after an accident. Outside the operating theatre the anaesthetist told me she was giving me oxygen and to take some deep breaths. Next thing I knew I was in resus. I did wonder if thats what death would be like - without the waking up if course as literary those 3 hours were totally blank. I wonder what I was given.
felt fine an no nausea at all. Also learnt that morphine doesn't do much for dull aches!!

Is this a specific decision where you work? I’ve had three surgeries so far, only one had intubation, for the others (not spinal or regional) I had the laryngeal mask, no sore throat after which was a nice bonus. My next one will be the mask as well, which surprised be as I’m finally having my deviated septum sorted, I thought due to the proximity to the mouth that I might need to be intubated, so I’m pleased I don’t need to be.

Solitudenotloneliness I had mine at Claremont in Sheffield, the staff were all lovely.

It's illegal in the UK now, it was common in the 1970s.

Brilliant thread OP, so interesting.

For those who've expressed an interest in the history of medicine/anaesthesia, I just read a great book called 'The Chloroformist" by Christine Ball. About the development of modern anaesthesia, really good read.

As you say you don't know your blood type, have you considered giving blood?

It’s ok. You spoke of a personal experience and it would be a very one sided thread if people didn’t speak of their negative (and very real) experiences following surgery. Fact. Some people do react adversely to anaesthesia and surgery.

A laryngeal mask is still an airway. An endotracheal tube is another airway. They both do the same thing (provide a safe airway to deliver oxygen/inhalational gas) for septum surgery you will have one or the other depending on the preference of the anaesthetist

I was so relaxed after the pre op stuff I feel asleep before they gave me the GA, I was really confused when I woke up lol. I felt great though as felt like I'd had such a good sleep.

Does that happened often, people falling asleep from the pre op meds?

No, I agree it's important to talk about a range of experiences. People react differently to things. I'm normally straightforward (except I vomit so always need bigger dose of anti- nausea) but it's good for folk to realise some have more of a reaction than others but the whole range is 'okay'.

When I first considered blood donation, I wasn't keen as I've lived in Eastern Europe and that was considered a specific risk that required further questioning (this may well have changed now). I'm now generally uncomfortable with every aspect of a medical environment ie how swelteringly hot it is, how nothing is ever on time, having my personal space invaded, the artifically cheery voices and patronising small talk whilst unpleasant things are done to you. If it were remotely feasible for me to extract blood myself at home then I would. I had two C19 jabs but it reinforced my hatred of it all (an hour long queue in an airless room for the first one, being asked intrusive questions about possibly being pregnant in earshot of others etc) .

I wonder if people who are fearful of medical situations subconsciously make more effort to keep themselves healthy, or are able to minimise symptoms more easily?

Anyway, I appreciate the efforts of the OP to explain and reassure.

Why are qualified ODPs so vile to students? I had nothing but bullying and crap when I was a student.

Sweeping statement much?? I never met a single rude person in any of my placements.

Sorry that you did not experience the same

I must have been on placement in awful places. I used to meet student nurses in the changing rooms that were in tears due to the staff.
I loved the work and the patients.. it was the staff that put me off. I was forced to quit the course, and I never returned.
An example.. I got A* for the hand wash/scrub OSCE. On placement, an ODP watched me hand wash and gown up, then ask who taught me, as the order I washed my hands was "wrong". I was taught by the same person who taught her. I literally followed the posters that were all over the place. She also used to make comments about how I laid out the instruments. I laid them out in a way I understood, and could access quick.
She also made me leave the theatre mid scrub because my top and trousers were different colours (supply issues.. it happened a lot, and a lot of staff were wearing red and blue scrubs).

My mentor.. I met twice in 8 weeks. We never shared a shift. It was a shambles.
I am gutted.. really gutted. ODP is an amazing career, and there are times I am in tears that I can't return to it. My skin is not thick enough.

That’s such a shame. Sorry you went through that. I’ve come across a few tricky characters here and there but mostly everyone was great.

I think you do need to be resilient on the whole in healthcare though, you will come across people who make things difficult.

Again sorry you had such a bad experience and that you wasn’t supported. Making you leave mid scrub is terrible.

Very good book and the Butchering Art as well by Dr Lindsey Fitzharris brilliant book shows operating before anaesthetics then before Lister’s work and after.

I hadn't heard of the Butchering Art, sounds good, thanks!

Thank you @1AnotherOne for taking the time to answer on here. I'm a bit late to the AMA so grateful you're still answering Qs.

Many years ago I was booked for endoscopy. I remember seeing the endoscopes on the wall as I was wheeled in and I didn't much like the look of them - they looked huge!

When I came round I asked the nurse how it went - she replied they couldn't do it as I got 'violent under the anaesthetic'. She didn't seem happy and I hoped I hadn't hurt anyone.

Is this common? Should that be something I need to mention in future for any procedures? Could I really have hurt someone?

There was a TV show called London Hospital, set around 1900, in the very early days of anesthesia. People today don't realize what a radical change it was.

Some patients often get a bit upset during endoscopy procedure. We give sedatives and then stick a long pipe down your throat 😬 lots of patients try to pull it out or hit out at us. Much of endoscopy is mind over matter and if a patient fails it with sedation then we offer a local anaesthetic throat spray next time. That means no sedative and you are utterly under control and can talk yourself through it. If you really really can’t tolerate some places offer it under ‘general anaesthetic’ it’s not really a true GA as you aren’t intubated and it does require an anaesthetist present because it allows us to give more sedative than the guidelines state (for when an anaesthetist isn’t present!)

@1AnotherOne is that what they call “deep sedation” rather than GA?

Yes 😊