Kgothatso Legong shares his experience of theater work as a fifth year medical student at Sefako Makagtho Health Sciences University.

______

One of the components of a clinical block is to observe a surgical procedure, if that block you are rotating in is a surgical discipline. As a senior medical student, I have even lost count as to how many times I have been in theater. But I can never forget my first ever theater experience. I was in fourth-year and my unit on that particular day had to present to theater 1B to observe a Caesarian section (C-section).

My theater experience did not start on good footing. On that day I woke up late and my unit mates had already went to the hospital. To make matters even worse, I did not know where theater was. I made the mistake of not knowing the layout of the hospital beforehand. Well, despite all these challenges, I tried to persevere.

When I finally got to a chance to put on the theater scrubs after I played, “Where in the world is Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital Theater 1B,” I was greeted by my unit mates who looked tired of standing and waiting outside theater.

I am grateful for them to not have been already inside the actual operating room though, because once I met with them they showed me that I had worn my disposable theater the wrong way. Waiting with them were fifth years as well. All of us we were waiting for a patient to be wheeled into theater and start to experience the magic happen.

Here are some few things you need to know before going to observe your first surgical operation:

1. Bring as little possible

I would go to theater with only my scribe book and logbook which the doctors would sign. Sometimes it is prohibited to even bring your smartphone or any form of an electronic device which can be used to record. Do not bring unnecessary bags, as this is a risk for contamination and can bring harmful foreign objects to an environment which should be extremely clean.

2. Do not bring food to theater

Food, does not matter being snacks, and drinks are strictly prohibited in a surgical theater.

3. Introduce yourself when you get into theater

Identify yourself to the senior surgeon and member of nursing staff. It is a legal requirement for the names of anyone present during an operation to be recorded. This is done to prevent unauthorized people from just coming in and possibly causing danger or even harm to the patients and staff.

4. Keep your hands to yourself

Never touch or approach sterile personnel or equipment unless you are scrubbed and gowned. Basically do not touch things when you get there. Very importantly, never assist the scrub nurse unless she explicitly tells you to help them with something. If a scalpel falls on the ground, do not pick it and return it to the table it fell from.

5. Dress appropriately

Never enter theatre if not dressed in appropriate clothing and footwear. Always wear a theatre hat and cover your hair. Long sleeves are not allowed, even under theatre tops. Individual theatres and surgeons have different requirements for wearing theatre masks.

My first theater experience is definitely is one I will never forget.