Friday, September 4, 2009

A Crappy Day

He had very shiny shoes.

Many of the med students who begin their ER rotations dress quite professionally, and this one was no exception.  Unfortunately, despite his attire, he clearly looked like he would rather be somewhere else.  Checking his watch, hugging the wall, and generally appearing less than pleased at being in the ED on a busy night, this med student was not having a good time.

One of our shared patients for the evening was an elderly man brought in for abdominal pain and altered mental status.  Entering the room to draw basic labs, I found the patient standing up and undergoing a neuro exam by the med student.  Realizing I forgot a tourniquet, I stepped out for a moment.

When I returned, it looked like someone set off a poop bomb.  In the few seconds I was out of the room, the patient had a bout of explosive diarrhea that seemed to hit every surface - the walls, the stretcher, and yes, even the med student.  

As he looked at me in horror, all I could think was that his once clean shoes would probably need to be re-shined.

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