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Here Come the Interns
Feb. 20th, 2009 09:07 amAmerica, our economy is in the intensive care unit and look out -- here come the interns, well educated but inexperienced.
When I started nursing back in the 70's, I witnessed first hand the truth of the old saying that the most dangerous time to be a hospital patient was the month of July, when the shiny new interns arrived. In those first thrilling, scary weeks of responsibility, we all worked to make sure those physicians lived up to their pledge to "first, do no harm." Well, America, our economy is in the intensive care unit and look out---here come the interns! Observing the brand spanking new Obama administration, I see quite a few parallels to medical centers in July.
Interns run the gamut of attitudes and abilities. Many of these brand new doctors are very well educated but somewhat inexperienced in actual interactions with patients. Obama is very well educated (so we're told, we've yet to see a college transcript) but he has very little experience with governing. The best interns I worked with were intelligent and aware of their shortcomings in the real world. They did not hesitate to ask for advice and help. The worst interns managed to squeak through medical school but had a chip on their shoulder the size of the Rock of Gibraltar. This type of physician wouldn't admit he was hopelessly out of his depth if his life (or the patient's) depended on it. From where I sit, President Obama is squarely in the Amateurish yet Arrogant camp.( Read more... )
When I started nursing back in the 70's, I witnessed first hand the truth of the old saying that the most dangerous time to be a hospital patient was the month of July, when the shiny new interns arrived. In those first thrilling, scary weeks of responsibility, we all worked to make sure those physicians lived up to their pledge to "first, do no harm." Well, America, our economy is in the intensive care unit and look out---here come the interns! Observing the brand spanking new Obama administration, I see quite a few parallels to medical centers in July.
Interns run the gamut of attitudes and abilities. Many of these brand new doctors are very well educated but somewhat inexperienced in actual interactions with patients. Obama is very well educated (so we're told, we've yet to see a college transcript) but he has very little experience with governing. The best interns I worked with were intelligent and aware of their shortcomings in the real world. They did not hesitate to ask for advice and help. The worst interns managed to squeak through medical school but had a chip on their shoulder the size of the Rock of Gibraltar. This type of physician wouldn't admit he was hopelessly out of his depth if his life (or the patient's) depended on it. From where I sit, President Obama is squarely in the Amateurish yet Arrogant camp.( Read more... )
