notes from pediatric in-patient wards

According to one of my attending pediatric physicians, there are four rules to remember about wards:

1. Everyone is “projectile” vomiting.
2. No one is “constipated.”
3. A “fever” is probably not a fever. (am I remembering this one correctly? hmm…)
4. Never answer one of the general house (hospital) phones if ringing.

🙂

While kids are adorable and helping them get well (and helping their parents find peace) is very gratifying, I don’t think pediatrics is for me. I find the process of working with “two” patients– kids and their parent(s)– to be disconcerting; it leaves me feeling scattered. I also feel strangely when not able to build a good rapport with a child due to lack of time. I want to have deeper relationships with kids that I feel the hospital doesn’t afford me. Perhaps outpatient pediatrics will be different.