Seriously?

So as I was amputating a guy's foot today (a real bloody case actually) the scrub tech looks down at my feet an asks "do you wear those shoes home?". I replied "yes". She said "then you should wear foot covers. No telling what bugs you're taking home with you from the OR." Yeah, ok, that's great and all, but my first day of surgery I did the whole shoe covers thing and it was a pain in the ass. Not to mention that the other doctors and staff wear the shoes in the OR, around in the basement, Up to the resident cubby, down around the halls, into patient rooms. I figured me doing the same thing while also walking around outside and leaving the shoes right inside the door wouldn't expose me to anything more dangerous than being at the hospital does anyway. So I appreciate the infection control speech, but honestly I'm exposed to nasty all day and will probably pick it up off the floor on the 3rd floor just as easily as I will in the OR.

Not to mention that I get one pair of scrubs at the VA and have to wash them myself until my time there is over. So...that's not a health risk: putting bugs in my washer even tho I wash it with hot water. OOOOOOkay then.

I think the worst part of the surgery rotation has been lack of time off. I'm quickly approaching burnout and I need a couple of days to not wake up at 4 am and do notes for ungrateful interns (I may write on this later, just something pissy that happened this morning). I'm exhausted to the point of insomnia and after 2 hours of sleep woke up shaky and nauseated. Granted, it could be the bean and cheese nachos paired with margaritas (2 for 1!) or the dehydration i'm suffering due to a lack of time to ingest water. It's almost like you're so tired your body is making you sick because it's the only way to get you to slow down. Or it could be the MRSA or VRE or whatever I picked up from the hospital due to me wearing shoes home (ugh). whatever it is, I'm up now and can't get back to sleep. So that's not going to help the getting up, seeing patients (our list doubled today. joy.) then being with it enough at educational rounds (aka pimpfest) to answer any questions. it seems like i'll be something slightly above zombie level.

I love the patients at the VA, but I'm ready to get back to UMC. At least when I get lectured about putting myself and my family into nosocomial dangers at home, I'll know they're at least washing my scrubs for me.