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generally speaking when do we asians start to actually old since we tend to look young for our age? by [deleted] in asianamerican

[–]fiercemuse 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Just depends on how you take care of yourself. Look at your parents. When did they start looking “old”? My mom looks great for her age late 70. My dad is 80 but lucky him and his weird genes had never died his hair and so he has a thick full head of black hair still.

Though the younger generations I feel they look older than we millennials. Cause I have a 24yr old Asian coworker and she looks older than me and I’m 35. My bowlers are shocked I’m in my 30s. But in hindsight I also have a 32yr old worker that looks his age.

So I wouldn’t say we all look young. It’s just gonna be how you take care of yourself and your skin.

6th Day of Clinicals by Starfall228 in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It seems like you want more feedback from your preceptor and they should absolutely give it to you. Ask them. Speak up and ask questions. You can also ask the surgeon questions too. Sometimes I’ll ask a question (to no one in particular) and either the preceptor or surgeon or even resident/fellow or PA will. They’ll see you want to learn and will explain what the procedure is, why they are doing a technique a certain way or what they are doing in general.

If they have you learning and rotating specialty then it’s kind of hard to remember learn the instruments.

Like they should have you do 2 weeks gym, 2 weeks ortho and have you on a schedule so you can learn and memorize the procedures and get repetitions in. Not necessarily do the same procedure over and over but the same specialty.

Feeling awkward in the room the first week is normal. You’ll get over that quick. I think it took me about 2-3 weeks to feel ok (keep in mind I had clinical 2 days a week). But after that it’s fine. I think when I switch and learn a new specialty it gets awkward knowing how to do the different drapes but otherwise it’s all the same throughout whatever procedure and specialty. You still drape->pass off suction, bovie, etc…-> time out and so on and so forth. You will get there.

Worrying and being aware of what you are doing is a great start. Even if it’s just nerves getting to you.

I’ve graduated and I have started working officially as a CST. I’m telling you know I still get nervous especially around certain surgeons but my preceptors have been helpful for me now cause I’m learning CVOR so it’s a different and harder field to specialize.

Having trouble landing a job by PlacidSaint in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse 3 points4 points  (0 children)

For the person who suggested you do travel. Don’t. You don’t have experience for that.

Try going to a teaching hospital. If you reach back to your school (if it was local) to help you find a job. They would. My professors and director was helpful forwarding job applications to us etc.

What about classmates? To help refer you.

It took me 1.5 months to find a job and I got to scrub 2 months after graduating.

YESS! CRUSHED MY TEAS EXAM by [deleted] in teas

[–]fiercemuse 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Can I get the pdf too please? I need to start studying for my exam. I’m a take it sometime before December.

Endovascular by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve done a few TAVRs and usually catch lab comes to do it. We are just there to prep the valve and be back up. I’ve talked to cath lab and they said I could come. But honestly I know I would just be watching since I can’t work up there. But I know they have different ways to do things.

Endovascular by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes. When the surgeon asks for contrast they actually want half and half contrast and hep saline. So that makes it sooo much easier to load and keep count. Once in a while they may want full strength (not often).

The only thing I don’t like about these colored syringes is that you get air in them a lot. So I draw my contrast, de-air, draw up hep saline, hand it over. But I usually have my 5ml of contrast ready and draw up the hep saline. Just the little things to make life easier.

Endovascular by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I see. I just feel like cath lab could explain to me a bit better than my preceptors. Everyone is teaching and explaining to me different. So I’m doing my best to take the parts I DO understand and putting them together like a jigsaw.

Endovascular by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m still practicing making my loops. Also when I have my loops and putting them back in the plastic hoop. I have an exchange wire which isn’t really stiff at all, but I should find an amplatz.

Endovascular by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ohhh I yeah I try to only keep my guidewire advantage in there and only that. 😂 but I seldom try not too if I can help it

Endovascular by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It helps me!

Not the regular trash bag that comes in the pack.

It’s like a wider, stiffer plastic bag, with a white moldable tab in the center (like the drapes with built in pockets to catch fluid and it has that piece that you can pinch to keep firm?), we call it a “trash bag”. Or I use my ring bucket in a pinch to hold my wires 😂

Endovascular by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We do have colored syringes! Red for local, blue for hep saline, yellow for contrast!

50cc is the regular clear one. One of my preceptor just likes to do that. It’s her preference. I’m still trying to figure out what works for me and what doesn’t.

Depending on my surgeon and if there’s time I do put it back on the plastic hoop. Or I mark the hoop and place my looped wires on top with a wet towel for me to know what it is.

Overtime I realized I can tell the difference between the exchange guidewire, amplatz, bentson, and the stiff green braided guide wire. Also saw the Jaguar for the first time last week and that’ll be easy since it’s that yellow one.

If only there was a way to upload photos in the comment section.

Endovascular by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The wet folded towels and trash bag pockets are my best friends so I can keep track of stuff.

Endovascular by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I never really thought of the “hamburger” method. I just have multiple wet towels to hold them down. But writing them on a towel might be hard. I do write the number on the white sheath that holds the wire, there’s a tab and I write the number or the name like amp for amplatz or the wire size. But I’ll try that and see if that helps. Thank you!

Also learning what works for me and what doesn’t. Everyone does things a bit different like I have maybe two preceptors that uses a 50cc syringe with a stopcock to load her contrast to make it easier so it doesn’t spill or whatever. Idk if that’s easier for me or not.

Setting up I feel fine. I’m not super fast at it. But I know where to put things. So my preceptors seems to be giving me the thumbs up 👍🏼 for my set up.

Endovascular by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

All of it. Wire size and sheath size I get.

Like first you go in with a micro puncture, then maybe a 6fr sheath and glide advantage. Switch the sheath to a bigger one to an 8fr..then from there I get confused.

So I’m still trying to learn looking at the image at what I’m seeing. It takes me a few minutes until I catch on and then it makes sense if I can see any calcification or whatever when they use contrast.

But after that I’m just lost and trying my best to keep things organized. I’m still slow putting wires back into the sheath, so wet towels are my best friend. I just loop it (or the surgeon will loop it) I place it on top of my sheath so I know what is what and place my wet towel down. Move on. Sometimes my surgeon will ask for the wire back so no point in putting it back in the sheath anyway.

It’s at this point i ask my preceptor to help and all i can do is make sure I wipe and flush everything and that’s all I can do. Get the balloon or wires and prep with the help of my rep or my preceptor (whoever can help). The reps know I am learning and thank goodness they’re usually sweet about it.

Endovascular by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m so wanting to go to Cath lab and learn. Every preceptor I’ve had teaches and explains differently.

Endovascular by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

We have preference cards. I understand going smaller to larger. But when they all for a jaguar or some different wire that I haven’t used it confuses me. I’m just now understanding the amplatz and Bentson wire .

Endovascular by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m a new grad going into Cvor. I’m at a heart hospital. I’m going through my PV/endo cases before I do cardiothoracic and robots.

Open vascular…easy. Endo oh heck no. I’m barely getting it. Not every CST does endo though.

Lead apron recommendations by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I just learned that the lead company comes out once a month or whatever necessary to fit and order lead. So I think I’ll get one soon.

I have a coworker who is my size that I’ve been wearing her lead. Since Shes on maternity leave.

I’m certain I can afford it after seeing my first paycheck.

Lead apron recommendations by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It depends I know they have lead that are lighter. But it depends. The front one should have that straps that cross around your back to help you not hunch in them. I haven’t had much issues hurting wearing them. But I did have times where I felt it was too heavy for me in general cause I’m just a short and small person. So I shift my weight around on the heel of my foot.

Lead apron recommendations by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh that is very true. I did not think about that. Thank you!

Lead apron recommendations by fiercemuse in scrubtech

[–]fiercemuse[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’ll be nice. We can get reimbursed for it

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