ABOUT
POINT #1
Levels of Sedation and General Anesthesia
POINT #2
Three Distinct Anesthesia Professionals, One Common Goal
POINT #3
One Key Factor Affecting Outcomes
Many patients are given very little information about anesthesia before their procedure, surgery, or even labor and delivery. Then they are anxious, fearful, or even terrified right beforehand - which increases risk of complications.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
So let's break this mold, and shed some light on the subject.
I grew up thinking that I had only one opportunity to choose a career. However, I have so many interests, I had trouble choosing one direction and sticking with it. I ended up taking 60 more credits than I actually needed for a bachelor's degree. I took Print Making, Drawing, Cartography, Animal Behavior, Criminal Justice, Business Law, Accounting, Property Management, German Language, Biochemistry, Marketing, Economics, Computer Programming.... too many to list here. When I finally decided I had to nail down a major, I chose Packaging: the degree that required the most of the classes I had already taken. I was working for a subsidiary of Boston Financial during my last year of college, and was enticed into staying on as Senior Accountant upon graduation. Soon, IT was added to my plate as I helped implement a new computer network and stepped up as MIS Coordinator.
Although I loved the work, which involved a fair amount of problem-solving, the cubicle life closed in on me, and I took the leap into medicine. It truly has been the answer to my passion for learning. When deciding on a direction, I again had difficulty choosing. Anesthesia finally won out - who can deny that this mysterious realm of medicine is the best specialty there is!
Interestingly, it seems to be about the least patients know anything about - and/or remember? Because as soon as they are educated on it enough to supposedly give consent, we medicate them with drugs that cause a short term amnesia. Or at least that's what I orignally thought...
However, it's more complicated than that. It seems that the less patients understand anesthesia, the more they fear it, which leads to sort of a cascade of issues that affects their complications, required doses of anesthesia, wake-up, recovery and healing... and memory!
Whew!
If you're ready to change this dynamic and improve outcomes, I'm ready to lead the way.
Footnote: Art, including photography, is still a passion I persue. I'm also a mom, having had 4 children over 11 years: one child during undergrad, one while working for Boston Financial, another smack in the middle of medical school, and finally my last (but not least) during my side-step into psychiatry residency. What can I say: I'm not 100% positive we only live once, but I'm determined to make the most of it!
"Wow! You're the most thorough anesthesiologist I've ever had! No one's ever explained that to me before."
HK
"You're so thorough. Thank you for that!"
VH, retired nurse
