HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1988-07-20, Page 3A family doctor's daily schedule
;4_0011000•0, -
never don.. Each day brings a
fresh challenge, a new focus -for
yearS of training, experience., and
continual upgrading to try to keep
abreast of some of the remarkable
advances in modem medicine.
Dr. Linda Steele thrives on the
daily demands of a family practi-
tioner. Her schedule is regular, but
never routine.
"I like emergency. It is stimu-
lating and interesting. - Treating
sore throats and colds all day would
be boring", Steele said candidly.
• She is.thc only Exctcr doctor so far
to complete the three-day advanced
trauma life support course at Vic-
. toria Hospital. This course teaches
such life-saving techniques for ac-
cident victims as vein cut-downs,
1Vs, injecting saline into the abdo-
men to detect internal bleeding,
tracheotomies and tracheostomies,
removing. fluid build-up from
around the heart, and treating a rup-
tured aorta.
"We can do all this here if we
HOSPITAL ROUNDS - Dr.
Steele visits old friend and former
Palient Emetie Finlay, who now lives
at the Ailsa Craig nursing home
EXETER - A doctor's work is
is
have to", she noted.
The ring of the phone at 1:30
a.m. signals the beginning of a
busy day for Dr. Steele. It is nei-
ther startling nor unexpected. An
- 10 doctors affiliated with South
Huron Hospital take their turn on
call, and this is her day.
Sheds wanted in emergency; one
of the Exeter police constables has
been kicked in the eye and needs
medical attention.
The doctor is roused from sleep
twice more, at 130 and 5:30. Hus-
band Bill, a neurophysiologist who
works in agricultural research in
London, gets the- children up and
prepares their breakfast, letting his
wife sleep in until a late 7:45.
Steele is immediately on the
phone. "The kids think its part of
my car", she laughs.
First -call is to the hospital, to
check on a patient admitted the
night before. Next is a run-
through of the day's patients with
receptionist Diane Hartman whom
Stcelc refers to as "computer_
Times -Advocate, July 20, 1988 Page 3
filled with variety..
brain", because her memory banks
contain every patient's phone and
,O111P number. . • - •
-
The day begins to speed up. -
Mix-up. Babysitter fails to ar-
rive. Hurried calls to find another.
9: 15. Children dropped off for
special program at'rcc centre, then
on to rounds at Exctcr Villa. .
.10:00 a.m.- South Huron Hos-
pital cmcrgcncy department. Ex-
amine constable's injured eye.
Sew -up finger crushed in indus-
Each day brings
a fresh challenge
trial accident. Explain that Workers
Compensation pink slip must - be
filled in at place of.employment:
"It's not for our sake, but for
yours". Give polio -tetanus shot.
"Lasts 10 years." •.
Order cardiogram and, blood work
for patient being affected by ex-
tremely hot weather. (Very hot and
very cold weather increases admis-
sions in the 44 -bed hospital.)•
Child who caught foot in •bicycle
spokes is back. Couldn't put on
cast because of bad cut. Shows.
mother on xray where new bone is
forming.
10:30. Short coffee break.
10:45. Back in emergency. Burn
off warts with liquid nitrogen kept
at -196 C. Read electrocardiogram.
Explain to patient.
Call nurse to assist with removal
of cyst on patient's forehead- Nurse
rela,rfs emergency has been busy -
since 7:00 a.m. All three treatment
rooms full and line-ups waiting.
"Make me pretty, now", patient -
jokes:. As the operaticin proceeds,
-fie adds; "Make sure .you get it all.
I'd rather. not go through this -
'again." -
Thc .cysi is popped into a bottle
to be sent away and tested.. -
Order x-ray, for woman- in wheel- •
chair who slid into third base.
-Hospital rounds.. Usually 10 to
12 patients.'Variety-Of diagnoses.
Noon. - Special farewell lunch in
restaurant for office staff_to say fare- --
-well to- Dr. Debby Waters, moving.
to Saskatoon. Lunch usually eaten -
at hospital. •
1:30 to 5:00. Office hours. See
at (east 30 patients. (Practice lists
.1,000 famitics in four bulging fil-
ing cabinets.) Baby clinic on Tues-
days. No needles given to babie
.on Fridays .in case of reaction over
weekend.
• 5:00 until 6:00. head to town
swimming pool to watch daughter
Sandra practice for swim, team:
Home for dinner. - -
For relaxation, the busy doctor
heads for the golf course, the
swiinming pool,or a shopping cen—
tre. With the rotation system
among the Association's doctors, -
'the family has been able to -get
away to their cottage for entire
weekends: '
The phone announces a new day.
Dr. Steele doesn't know what it - will
bring. She just knows it won't be-
' boxing.
FOUR HANDS NEEDED - Emergency room nurse Norma Lindenfield assists Dr. Steele in removing a Sebaceous cyst from the forehead of Jim Allison.
A minor surgery clinic is held each Thursday morning at the Exeter hospital.
Photo
feature
by
Yvonne
Reynolds
i
-1
!N THE PICTURE • Dr. tee
of her son Kyle's injured foot.
e shows Janet Smith the most recent x-ray
•
INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT -
Stitching up a finger injured on the
job is part of the day's work.
READY TO GO AGAIN - Dr. .
Steele rebandages Kyle Smith's
foot: The child had caught it in the
spokes of a bicycle.
14600011k. •
....1011111111.
EYE TO EYE - Dr. Steele examines Constable Brad Powell's eye, injured
earlier that day.
FAREWELL IrUNCH - Dr. Steele took tima out to attend a farewell staff
lunch for partner Dr. Debby Waters.before the chief of medical -staff left for OFFICE HOURS - Dr, Steele checks over five -month-old Courtney Hrud-
Saskatoon ka, South Huron Hospital's New Year's baby, while mother Lorie looks on.
1
ON THE PHONE - A phone plays an important part in the daily life of a
doctor.