5 myths about surgeons
Everyone can get sick. None of us is immune from a situation in which the help of a surgeon will be needed. In this case, the success of treatment will be directly related not only to the qualifications and skills of the doctor, but also to the degree of trust that will arise between him and the patient.
Mutual understanding, among other factors, depends on how correctly the patient imagines the specifics of the doctor's work. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about the activities and human qualities of surgeons. Let's talk about the most common ones.
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All surgeons are cynics and rude
Specialists working in the field of emergency surgery and trauma surgery are often perceived by patients and their relatives as being rude, overly harsh and lacking empathy for others. In fact, this is not the case. It's just that doctors of this profile are so often faced with suffering that they have to learn to drown out their own emotions. Without this, they will not be able to quickly concentrate and adequately fulfill their duties.
The surgeon helps patients who find themselves in a life-threatening condition - this can be any operation. At the same time, he cannot waste time and energy on the manifestation of emotions: it is much more important to instantly assess the situation and do everything possible to save the patient. In addition, the doctor supervises the work of the junior medical staff, and also contacts the patient's relatives, who are usually very nervous and do not always behave appropriately. In such a position, the doctor must act promptly, clearly and decisively, which from the outside can create a feeling of excessive severity and even callousness.
Specialization has a significant impact on the character of the surgeon and his style of communication with patients. So, surgeons working in the field of oncology, as a rule, have a long preliminary contact with patients whom they have to operate on, try to build trusting relationships with them based on mutual understanding and joint hopes for a favorable outcome of treatment.
They just want to cut
A very common and completely incorrect statement. Many people believe that surgery is easier than curing. In reality, surgery is an extreme measure, which is taken only when other methods of treatment are ineffective.
The indications for surgery are being meticulously discussed. Specialists comprehensively examine the patient, assess his health and weigh all the risks. No surgeon will take a patient "on the table" if the danger posed by the intervention is greater than the expected positive result.
Surgeons are often distracted during operations
During the operation, the doctor is well aware that he is holding a person's life in his hands, and will never be distracted if there is a risk of making a mistake. At the same time, there are a number of interventions, the technology of which is so well developed that an experienced surgeon acts almost automatically. It is not surprising that during these “routine” operations, doctors and nurses sometimes talk about topics that are not directly related to work.
In this situation, in addition to purely medical considerations, the doctor must be guided by ethical principles. For example, it is not necessary to conduct extraneous conversations if the patient is conscious - this can excite the patient and reduce the degree of his confidence in the doctor. It is completely unacceptable and unprofessional to discuss the characteristics of the patient's body or his human qualities. Fortunately, this rarely happens and is actively condemned by the medical community.
Routine operations are done by inexperienced beginners
It's impossible. The training of the future surgeon does not end at the moment of defending the diploma. Before a newcomer is entrusted with independent intervention (even from the category of "stereotyped"), he must work as an observing doctor in a hospital for several years, learn how to professionally perform basic procedures, and take part in a large number of operations as an assistant. Only after this can a young surgeon receive the right to operate, and even then for the first time under the supervision and with the direct participation of more experienced colleagues. So the probability of getting "on the table" to yesterday's student is practically zero.
Surgeons are often wrong
According to statistics, the largest number of medical errors occurs in diagnostics. This can occur due to an atypical course of the disease, the lack of the necessary diagnostic equipment or incorrect interpretation of the examination results. In second place in terms of frequency are errors in prescribing drugs or assessing their side effects. It turns out that surgeons make mistakes much less often than, for example, therapists. On the other hand, their mistakes are much more noticeable and, as a rule, cause a sharper public response. In fact, the likelihood of becoming a victim of improper drug treatment is much higher than the risk of falling into the hands of a surgeon who will forget a scalpel in a patient.
If surgery is unavoidable, it is important to understand the following:
- the doctor may seem harsh and unfriendly, but the desire to help you is the main motivation for his actions;
- the surgeon does not need an extra operation, no one will operate on you unless absolutely necessary;
- it is required to follow the instructions of the doctor. He has experience and skills that you do not have;
- if a planned operation is ahead and there is still time before it, you should try to establish a trusting, friendly relationship with the doctor.
Your friend or relative may need surgery. In such a situation, it is important to perceive the doctor as a person who is capable and willing to provide assistance. The patient himself and you, as his loved one, undoubtedly have the right to information about the patient's condition and the measures that the surgeon is going to take, but it is unacceptable to try to interfere in his actions. This can negatively affect the results of treatment and create a real danger to the patient's life.
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Maria Kulkes Medical journalist About the author
Education: First Moscow State Medical University named after I. M. Sechenov, specialty "General Medicine".
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