From Michelle at Mayo

So I have finally figured out how to post a blog on this thing... only took me forever. Thanks, Kelly, for setting this up.

Mayo has been overall a positive experience so far. They do things so differently than what we ever learned in classes (or in my experience at OHSU for that matter). Marcus and I are back to using roller pumps (no big deal)... the differences are in the following: (1) They use 2 suckers up on the field and both 1/4" tubings are put into one raceway. (2) They talk in terms of cardiac index. For example, "What are you flowing?" and you answer, "2.4"... They never talk about the arterial flow in terms of L/min. But everything else is referenced in L/min. (3) The anesthesiologist who is the one who takes you off bypass and tells you to fill the patient, etc. (4) Mayo has their own set of people who do autotransfusion and IABP stuff. Perfusion has nothing to do with it. (5) We don't have a heater-cooler... we have water lines that hook up to the ceiling and knobs to the right of the vaporizer that control the water and cpg temps. Those are probably the biggest differences that I can think of off-hand. (6) We set up in a pump room and wheel the pump down to the OR (7) Lines are handed from the operating field.

Those were the biggest surprises for me... There are other little nuances that I'm certain I've forgotten to mention... but nonetheless, it's all been interesting to adapt to.

I came home yesterday to count that within the 12 days I had at Mayo, I've had 11 preceptors. I have learned 11 different ways to set up my circuit and 11 different ways to prime. That equates to me not progressing anywhere because I'm always starting at ground zero with each new person. It hasn't been easy for me to develop my own routine yet and I'm frustrated with myself for not doing better than I actually am. But I guess that is where patience has to come into play and I just have to give myself that. Marcus is doing well and I am glad that I have another classmate to chat with here because I don't know who else I would vent to about my feelings of being a retard (pronounced with the stress on the second syllable).

We found out that Dawn is going to work here during the summer. I believe that she starts next week. I am looking forward to seeing her here. Hope that all is well with y'all.