The doctors and medical staff who work in the emergency room or as part of the ambulance services are some of the most phenomenal medical professionals that there. These men and women must react to a huge array of different situations and they are usually the first response when someone is injured or potentially dying. Dr. Ryan Shephard has worked in the E.R. for many years and during a lot of those years, he was my roommate. Most nights would be spent discussing the gruesome goings-on during the day and it really is a job that is not for everyone. Ryan for me is the perfect professional for someone who works in this field and if you want to follow in his footsteps, these are the skills which he possesses that make him so good at what he does.
Calmness
Calmness in a crisis is certainly one of Ryan’s abilities and it is one which few of us possess. What would you do if someone had arrested in front of you and you couldn’t find the charges for the paddles of the defibrillator? Would you go into crisis mode, would you panic, or would you stay calm and seek a solution? These men and women are faced with situations like this every single day and they usually stay calm and do what is necessary.
Communication
Another of Ryan’s strong points is communication and this is something which is absolutely critical, especially when it comes to the first response actions. When someone comes into the emergency room or when an ambulance first arrives, every second is critical and that is why the communication needs to be accurate, clear and succinct. The speed and the accuracy with which you are able to share information at this crucial time could be the difference between saving a life and not.
Strong Stomach
Even for some, the emergency room can be too much and there you are likely to see some gory sights indeed. Many a doctor doesn’t even enjoy seeing what is going on, especially if there are limbs missing or deep lacerations caused by an accident and it does take someone with a strong stomach to be able to deal with witnessing this kind of thing. For most nurses and doctors, they barely notice it, they are just engaging with the patient, trying to help them as best as possible and the sights are something secondary to the main aim of saving a life.
Selfless
There is no room in the ER for your career aspirations or your personal goals, this is a place where you must be on your game at all times and the only thing that is on your mind will be the patient’s life and welfare. There is nothing wrong with being ambitious of course but in the ER you need to just focus on doing a great job if you do that you will save lives and you will be noticed, just like Ryan was.
