Lesson from the Operating Room
Spoiler alert. It is happening in S03E03 of The Good Doctor.
Dr. Browne slowly enters the operating room, full of other people wearing medical uniforms.
The team commenced introductions. Dr. Claire Browne, lead surgeon - Dr. Browne announced. Dr. Neil Melendez, attending surgeon - second person added. Dr. Shaun Murphy, assisting. Dr. Jan Lancaster, anaesthesia. Dona Petrings, scrub nurse. Shani Walden, circulating nurse.
Patient is Michelle Reynolds. - Claire informed the team.
We will be performing an open cholecystectomy. All tools I need are confirmed to be present. Estimated blood loss, 100 cc. Patient will go to the ICU after surgery.
Claire looked around the room. Is everybody in agreement?, she inquired.
Each person nodded, indicating their confirmation.
In the background, the sound of beeping filled the room as blood pressure, heartbeat devices, and other monitoring tools operated.
Dr. Murphy, have you ChloraPrepped the side? - Claire asked.
I have. - Shaun promptly replied.
10 blade. - Dr. Browne requested.
The nurse handed the scalpel to Dr. Browne.
Dr. Browne made the first incision.
Learnings from healthcare
I can’t imagine the emotions that young surgeons feel during the very first surgery.
However, that’s super interesting to see that they do kickoffs explaining the team, responsibilities, goals, risks, and next steps. They have proper monitoring tools and resources in place.
We, software development people can learn a lot from medical specialisations.
There is an excellent interview with the orthopedist (and podcaster) I used to visit to fix my knee. It is about stress and hard decisions during surgeries - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t-IPhcKPFI - it is in Polish. I bet, similar podcasts or interviews might be found in English.
Also, there is a great book Chasing The Invisible by Dr. Thomas Grogan, which is a novel about cancer diagnostics. Not the easiest one to read due to medical jargon, but worth it, if you want to learn more about discovery techniques, problem-solving, entrepreneurship, science, medicine and death.
And When breath becomes air by Paul Kalanithi, a biography of the neurosurgeon, who became a patient. Just to appreciate life more.
Back to The Good Doctor
You can watch Browne’s kickoff below.
Do for your projects and finite epics, what Dr. Browne does for her surgeries.