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NEW DOCTOR | VOLUME 4 | ISSUE 2 | 2011 | UNITED KINGDOM www.mps.org.uk


GMWNZ/SHUTTERSTOCK


15


A day in the life of…an F2 in the Christchurch earthquake


The hospital was plunged into darkness, pictures fell from the walls, the ground shook and patients screamed. Dr Elizabeth Ormerod was in the middle of New Zealand’s greatest natural disaster for 80 years; she shares her story


oncology ward when the ground started to shake violently. Parts of the hospital ceiling began falling down and dust filled the air. This continued for what felt like an eternity and patients and staff members, including myself, were anxious and distressed. Between the cries, I could hear an emergency message over the tannoy informing staff to leave the building. Before doing so I quickly went round the patients on my ward turning off chemotherapy and blood transfusions that required close monitoring. The charge nurse and one


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doctor remained on the ward while everyone else who was mobile evacuated. It was very distressing leaving bed-bound patients; I had the duties of a doctor in my head, however, when the state of the building was uncertain and the lifts were not operational, and it was necessary to leave.


Helping the injured I gathered with other doctors outside the hospital and within minutes received news that several city buildings had collapsed and a state of emergency had been declared. We realised that our assistance was required in the emergency department where injured patients were rapidly arriving. Patients presented in all shapes and forms; in


he time was 12.51pm on 22 February 2011. I was standing on the


the back of cars, the arms of friends or strangers and even by emergency helicopter landing on the main road. As I arrived I saw patients


lining up in chairs outside. I followed my instincts and started to triage some of the minor injuries, taking histories and examining as necessary. It was all very chaotic, but I provided medical care as best I could. I faced many ethical issues


on the day. One issue was the limited privacy for patients where there were no curtains around the examination chairs. Although it was not ideal, the patients were grateful to receive care. We were in a position


where rapid primary surveys of injuries were vital to determine the severity of problems. I took two patients I triaged outside into the department to clean and suture their wounds by torch light. There was no power in the unit, and the choice of readily-available sutures was limited.


Consent issues Documenting patient details and medical information during a chaotic situation is difficult. Several of my patients were in a state of shock, and when questioned some could not remember the phone number of their next of kin, others could not provide an address as their house had been destroyed. Information


was all documented on loose paper. I believe a few sets of notes were misplaced; however, to my knowledge, this did not affect patient care. Walking through the haze


of injured people, I was amazed to notice several people outside with large video cameras. I soon realised that they were not hospital staff, but were external photographers for the media. I was shocked by this intrusion of privacy, and despite the best efforts of security guards, I’m certain that some photographs were obtained of injured patients without consent. I can only hope that media groups would behave responsibly and not show footage that may cause distress to those who were injured and their families.


Pulling together A positive aspect of the day was the remarkable level of teamwork displayed by the professionals involved. As a junior doctor with little trauma experience, I felt out of my depth; this situation tested me to the limits of my competence both physically and mentally; however, when I felt I had reached the ceiling of my capacity, someone was always willing to help.


Medical students and


interns were keen to help with administration, transportation and in theatre. Porters were handing out hospital blankets from the emergency disaster stock, and nurses gave the patients water and paracetamol. Following the severe earthquake in 2010, the hospital had set up an ‘emergency control centre’ and developed a crisis plan. As a result, there were many people in reflective jackets co-ordinating the process; equipment, such as hospital linen, bottled water, pens and paper were brought out of storage and put into action. Staff worked well into the evening and night to provide emergency medical care, saving many lives. Despite this turbulent


and stressful time I have been privileged to work with many dedicated and kind New Zealanders and healthcare workers from all over the world. The true spirit of Cantabrians shone, from offering lodging to doing laundry. It has been an amazing experience in which I have learnt a huge amount about medicine and the associated dilemmas, but this is something I hope I never encounter again.


At the time of the earthquake Dr Elizabeth Ormerod was doing her F2 year as a house surgeon in oncology.


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