Fran Oldfield

[Queen's Lower School @QueensLowerSch]

Year 6 had a fun, hands-on lesson about the digestive system with Consultant Surgeon Mrs Oldfield! From mashing bread to comparing chocolates with the Bristol Stool Chart, it was both educational and entertaining. Thank you, Mrs Oldfield! 👩‍⚕ #ScienceFun #STEM #FutureDoctors

[Fran Oldfield @Frannie81]

Don’t ever fly with @TUIUK - zero communication. No way of speaking to anyone. Stranded in Mexico for over 24 hours. Flight keeps getting more and more delayed. Two very sad very tired children.

[Richard Dunne, MD @DrR_DUNNE]

42 out of 42 complete responses with dostarlimab.

No local regrowths seen yet

Curing rectal cancer without chemo, radiation or surgery

👏👏

#Asco24 #crcsm

[theRadiologist @radiologistpage]

Surgeon:
Can you review this scan? Don’t worry we’ll give you plenty of time and space

The time and space:

[Dr Sarmy™️🩺🏏 @Dr__Sarmy]

🚨 Does anyone know who this GP is??
She should be PRESIDENT of the RCGP!!

📢 What a smashing statement to a complete bellend of a PM & Tory supporters who have no clue about general practice.

[Tom @sleepy__doc]

Having electronic notes at work is a life saver but I can’t help but feel we’re forgetting the ancient scrolls

[Charlie Lees @charlie_lees]

I will be adopting a similar strategy from now on.

Many is us struggle to say “no” but this often leads to overwhelm and burnout.

No is a complete sentence. And is actually a yes to something else.

Protect your time - it is your most precious resource.

[Richard Laing @richlaing]

I read this exuberant description of how the appendicular artery was dealt with. This term should be used more in Op notes 😂.

[Shivani Misra @ShivaniM_KC]

One of the things I am most grateful for is having the BEST consultant colleagues who are always available to chat to.
I didn’t consciously think about this when I applied for my consultant job but now I think it’s the single most important thing to consider when applying for a consultant job. It trumps every other consideration imo

[Dr Rachel Clarke @doctor_oxford]

💥 NHS STAFF 💥

Please consider signing this open letter to @VictoriaAtkins & @AmandaPritchard at @NHSEngland expressing your dismay at their extraordinary decision to cut @NHSPracHealth funding for hospital staff.

Please share widely 🙏

Letter here:

https://t.co/jLlh8ejXpu

[Dr Rachel Clarke @doctor_oxford]

I defy anyone to read Jamie’s story and still persist with the belief that defunding @NHSPracHealth is anything other than cruel, vindictive & horribly counter-productive.

Please read, @AmandaPritchard, @VictoriaAtkins, @Jeremy_Hunt.

Please don’t do this 🙏

[Susannah @lliheus]

Colorectal surgeon @KirstenBoyle16 is my first guest writer. In her blog she explains how over time her emotional response to surgical complications has changed, and how surgeons need to be compassionate towards themselves as well as their patients.
https://t.co/dVwzpGJtCa

[theRadiologist @radiologistpage]

Me trying to choose how to end a CT scan report

[Queen's Lower School @QueensLowerSch]

A huge congratulations to Grace, Amélie and Charlotte who competed at the Chester Festival last weekend, receiving wonderful feedback on their performance, stage presence and confidence. Well done, girls! #ChesterFestival #PerformingArts #TalentedTrio #QueensSchoolChester

[Fake Showbiz News @FakeShowbizNews]

Julia Donaldson brings out new book, ‘The Amazing Adventure of the Kids In White T-Shirts and Leggings’, to help parents on World Book Day

[Warrington Guardian @warringtonnews]

Mum meets the heroic team who saved her life at Warrington Hospital https://t.co/gziqkj5akQ

[Dr Richard Webb @DrRJWebb]

This is an important message for departments I think.

I was advised to chose to be a consultant within a team who are going to be there on the worst days of my life. I’ve looked for that ever since.

How you treat your ‘juniors’ matters for the longevity of your department.

[Ron Hekier @ronhekier]

20 years ago, the chairman of my surgery training program taught me a simple 3 step plan for success as a surgeon.

I've seen surgeons that probably should be let go from their positions instead kept on because they follow this plan.

The 3 step plan for success is Availability, Affability, and Ability.

Not only are those the 3 A's needed for success, but they also need to be emphasized in that order. That’s the important part.

Step 1: Availability. You can be the world most able surgeon, programmer, professor, or manager, but if you aren't available when called upon, nothing else matters.

Step 2: Affability. If you are a jerk, eventually your disposition will outshine your ability irrespective of your mastery. No one wants to work with someone who makes them feel bad. I failed at this for a long time.

Step 3: Ability. You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all of the time. In any profession, a person can hide behind a pleasant disposition but results matter.

Follow the 3 A's for success in that order. Availability, Affability, Ability.

I've seen surgeons who weren't good fits with their team and even those who have questionable ability and have lost the confidence of OR staff.
But because they are nice (affable), they are hard to let go and they last longer than they should.

Conversely, I've seen surgeons who are very talented technically, but who are jerks to those around them, and they get a target on their back.

This isn't a call to be nice and not worry about practicing your craft, but just a reminder about the power of affability.

These lessons hold true for anyone in any profession:

Answer the call.
Be nice.
Constantly train in your craft.

[CALL TO ACTIVISM @CalltoActivism]

"This is my wife taking a nap. In an hour she will wake up, put on her scrubs and get ready for work.

The tools and items she needs to perform her job will be gathered and checked meticulously - her hair and makeup will be done quickly. She will complain that she looks awful. I will disagree, emphatically, and get her a cup of coffee.

She will sit on the couch with her legs crossed under her and try to drink it while happily playing with the toddler that's crawling all over her.

She will occasionally stare off blankly as we talk; silently steeling herself for the coming shift. She thinks I don't notice.

She will kiss the baby, she will kiss me and she will leave to go take care of people that are having the worst day of their entire lives:

Car wrecks, gunshot wounds, explosions, burns and breaks - professionals, poor, pastors, addicts and prostitutes - mothers, fathers, sons, daughters and families - it doesn't matter who you are or what happened to you.

She will take care of you.

She will come home 14 hours later and remove shoes that have walked through blood, bile, tears and fire from aching feet and leave them outside.

Sometimes she will not want to talk about it. Sometimes she can't wait to talk about it.

Sometimes she will laugh until she cries and sometimes she will just cry - but regardless of those sometimes she will be on time for her next shift.

My wife is a nurse. My wife is a hero."

Credit: Bobby Wesson