Friday, October 12, 2007

Are you an ER doctor or what?

In general, I don't suggest just showing up in the ER during normal business hours and I always recommend you call your doctor first, or at least on your way. I really can't blame this girl for going to the emergency room but if she had put in a call to her doctor they may have actually made it to the delivery.

Out, further away from town there are some small community hospitals that have maybe a few beds and an emergency room. I really have no idea what goes on there or what sort of cases they see but I don't think it is too much to imagine that they have "real" doctors working there. The other afternoon the phone rings. It is an ER doctor from Bumfuck Hospital and he wants to speak to an OBGYN. His patient's OBGYN in particular. Fair enough. I put him on hold and see if I can find her. She isn't there but one of the other doctors from her practice is and he takes the phone call. This is side of the conversation I hear:

" Uh huh."

"She's complete?" (Completely dilated, effaced, etc.)

"Yeah, I'm not driving out there. I won't even be close to making it in time."

"No, YOU'RE going to have to deliver the baby!"

"You're calling who? Are you an ER doctor or what?"

The emergency room doctor had told him that if he didn't come out and help him he was going to hang up and call 911...from the emergency room.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

My bro-in-law is an ER nurse... and from his stories, this does not surprise me. Except he works in a major city hospital!