Wednesday, February 22, 2006

tip toe through the tulips.....

Since I am just a boring student and haven't started my clinicals, I don't really have any good stories to share yet. But our instructors do. They've already told us some great ones, so for now I'll tell those instead.

In our positioning class this week we are learning the positions for the lower extremities, which of course includes the toes.

One of my instructors came over while we were practicing the position for the big toe and it reminded him of a time when he imaged the big toe of a diabetic patient. Unfortunately, the patient's foot had very bad blood flow due to extensive arterial damage and the tissue of most of the toes was black and in an advanced state of deterioration.

Part of positioning the big toe for a laterial projection involves putting tape across the top of the toe and pulling it back so it isn't superimposed over the other toes. Well, when my instructor put the tape on the toe and went to pull it back, the tip of the toe came right off!! Fortunately (kinda), the necrosis was so bad that the patient didn't even feel it.

Of course, we asked our instructor what he did. He said that he promptly placed it in a plastic bag and sent it back to the nurse with the patient after the exam. As for what the nurse did with it, that's anyone's guess. Have you checked eBay, you can buy anything on there.........OK, sorry. Sick joke.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh! I don't know how I would have handled myself in that situation. You don't really expect someone's body part to just fall off in your hand. Luckily the patient didn't feel it. I wonder what the patient's reaction was?

So how are your classes going? When exactly do you start your clinicals?

I have a midterm in A&P in two weeks. I'm nervous! I get to dissect a little piggy next week. I'm kinda excited...I don't know why.

Well, take care and have a good rest of the week!

Kristen

Lisa & Adam said...

Ewwww!

To answer your question on my blog, my training takes 3 years in total and I'll get a degree at the end of it - if I pass! I won't have to do one big exam at the end, I just have lots (and lots) of essays and exams to do throughout the 3 years, which all count towards the degree.

Jaxia said...

Oh wow. That would be freaky. I cannot wait to hear your stories :)

~Jaxia
http://www.youknowyouwanna.net