Surgical Superheroes
Imagine what we could do if we had extraordinary powers.
M
ister Fantastic, that fictional superhero who can stretch his
body into incredible lengths and shapes, got me thinking
about working in the OR with extraordinary powers.
Imagine being able to turn the gas and light on at the scope tower
while simultaneously spiking the irrigation bags, turning on the suc-
tion, plugging in the cautery and fetching another bag of fluid … from
across the room. Yes, just think what we could accomplish if we had
superhero super powers.
> Captain America
Besides being the pinnacle of human physi-
cal perfection, this patriotic supersoldier possesses supreme intelli-
gence. It would be nice to figure pharmacology doses without a calcula-
tor and to spell every word medicine throws at you to chart without
spell-check.
> Thor
A big boy carrying a big stick gives a new meaning to
the phrase "Hammer Time." With a hammer like his, you could
fix a lot of aged equipment you can't use because some parts
are stuck together with stripped screws you can't loosen with
WD-40.
> Spider Man
Being 15 times more agile than a human would get
me in and around all those tight places when trying to connect all the
toys surgeons think they need to operate. Web slinging lets you travel
from place to place and at great distances. This could help you avoid the
age-old question: What was your turnover time? With Spidey-sense, I
could detect when "Dr. Dreadful" was in the parking lot and headed my
way. I hope that I'd resist the temptation to sling a plug of web across
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Behind Closed Doors
Paula Watkins, RN, CNOR
Andre
Flewellen