The Phone

This month, I am working in the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit). Here we take care of the sickest of the sick in the Kentuckiana region. I was most anxious about this rotation. However, I have begun to survive (and even enjoy) this place with greater familiarity with its structure, protocol, and patients.

One of the hallmarks of the PICU experience is the phone. Each resident takes turns holding the phone. Like the ring in Lord of the Rings or a holcrux in Harry Potter's world, the phone has much power and much burden. He or she who carries it becomes weary quickly and must share the responsibility of carrying it, lest they turn into Schmiegel or a troll or something. My group of residents are really good about sharing the phone, and we trade it off throughout the day.

One of my friends laughed that at the end of her PICU month, she woke up answering her own phone, "PICU, this is Danielle." Her mom began to worry...

Some of our graduated seniors last year made this funny video about the phone.

I will resist the urge to destroy or trash the phone this month.