Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Advice from a pediatrician during the viral surge

Alexander Rakowsky, MD
Conditions
November 12, 2022
27 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

As is the case throughout the country, central Ohio is in the midst of a viral surge with an unusually high number of ill children for this time of the year, leading to long delays in our urgent cares and emergency departments, in our primary care offices, and with over capacity inpatient units. It’s an extremely busy time for all of us and honestly makes for tiring and stressful days. However, this is the current situation and will be the case in the near future, so I thought it would be a good time to share some advice I have learned from several esteemed mentors in my 30+ years in pediatrics. Here goes:

1. “They are there because they care.” As one of my ER faculty would say during residency. The vast majority of parents truly love their children and want what is best for them, including waiting six or more hours in the ER to have their sick child evaluated. They don’t come in because there is nothing better for them to do on a fall day but because there is a true concern on their part that something is wrong. Acknowledge that.

2. “Fear drives all of us. It’s part of being human.” As another ER faculty would state to us. Direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising lives off of this premise (“Ask your doctor if you may have xyz condition …”), and while a healthy fear drives learning, an unhealthy one makes people do what seems unreasonable. I am not a gearhead, so when one of the warning lights goes off in my car or the car makes an unusual noise, I fear the worst. Nearly every time, it is something simple (air in tires is a good idea) but the entire ride home I am convinced that the car and I will blow up or just stop working on a busy highway. Yes, irrational, but it’s a human response to a topic that one does not know well. Now imagine the parents who have heard the news report after news report talking about how deadly the flu may be this year or about the unexpectedly high RSV rates. They are afraid, and since they truly care, they want you (the expert) to reassure them that things are OK.

3. “Humanize and apologize.” Learned this day one intern year from my favorite attending of all time. After waiting for many hours with a sick child PLUS with their very active, very bored, very hungry, and now completely lost it siblings, parents are frustrated and at wit’s end. Apologize for the wait, thank them for caring enough to wait to be seen, and acknowledge their fears. But also treat them with dignity. Ask the siblings about what costume they wore on Halloween. Ask the family what language they were speaking (I see a large number of immigrants) when you walked in. Ask them about their favorite fall leaf color. It takes mere seconds, but it takes you from being a technician servicing a car to a human being taking care of a child and family.

4. “Use every opportunity to empower patients and families with knowledge.” From one of my fellowship attendings. Saying to a family, “it’s just a virus, so don’t worry,” is probably OK. However, it is much more powerful to say: “It’s a virus, and here is why. However, I want you to look out for the following red flags that mean that junior needs to be seen again.” Now the family has been empowered with knowing how to monitor their child’s health, and instead of just being in the hands of the viral fates, they are now steering the ship.

5. “Hello, we are stressed out as well.” From the lead nurse at a pediatric ER where I moonlit a lot early in my career. While we tend to focus on ourselves when feeling overwhelmed, remember that your colleagues are as well. One of the nurses in the urgent care where I was working recently made it a point to ask every person there at least once how they were doing. It took seconds but just knowing that someone was looking out for me and also working over capacity made a huge difference. Try asking your colleagues the same. Thank the suture tech for a nice job with a tough-to-sew wound. Thank the nurses for grabbing that extra set of vitals on the child getting his second back-to-back neb before you even asked for it. Small tokens of appreciation take a group of technicians in the same room and make them a team working together to help others

6. “We are trainees and need to learn.” Just heard this from our amazing group of chief residents. Like probably everyone else, when it gets busy, I put my head down, stay quiet (which is unusual for me) and just plow through the work. The short formal lectures that I love to give usually go bye-bye. Yes, residents learn best by seeing and learning with experience. But they need teaching. Even a short 30-second “let me see you do a hip exam on this baby” or “let me show you a rash, and you tell me what you think it is” can turn the busy clinic back into a teaching clinic. Spot teaching is an art that we can all practice getting better at, but it is so vital to do.

7. “Honey, it’s just a phase, so this too shall pass.” From my wife, with whom I have been blessed and honored to raise seven children. From the screaming infant to the easily angered toddler to the moody teenager, we have seen it all, with my wife so much better at handling this. Why? Because she is great at seeing things big picture. That cranky toddler was recently a happy, smiling blubber of an infant and will soon be happy, exploring, and talking preschooler. Just ride it out. Yes, this has probably been the busiest fall I can remember in my 30+ years of doing this, but this too shall pass (regardless of what Gandalf says).

Yes, it’s busy, but this too shall pass, and it will hopefully be easier to deal with the stress taking into account some of these suggestions.

Alexander Rakowsky is a pediatrician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Why physicians should go on a retreat

November 12, 2022 Kevin 0
…
Next

How templates can make you a better doctor

November 12, 2022 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: COVID, Infectious Disease, Pediatrics

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Why physicians should go on a retreat
Next Post >
How templates can make you a better doctor

More by Alexander Rakowsky, MD

  • The surprising power of Play-Doh in pediatric care: How it’s bringing families together

    Alexander Rakowsky, MD
  • The power of personal stories in vaccination awareness

    Alexander Rakowsky, MD
  • Wonder about each patient outside the exam room

    Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Related Posts

  • Advice for first-year medical students

    Jamie Katuna
  • Advice for graduating medical students

    R. Lynn Barnett
  • The basics of the MMR vaccine from a pediatrician

    Roy Benaroch, MD
  • A #MeToo moment with a pediatrician

    Lauren Feltz, MHSc
  • Using probiotics in children: a pediatrician’s take

    Christopher Johnson, MD
  • A mother’s advice to her physician son

    June Garen, RN

More in Conditions

  • Overcoming Parkinson’s: a journey of laughter and resilience

    Cynthia Poire Mathews, FNP
  • The untold struggles patients face with resident doctors

    Denise Reich
  • Maximize sleep efficiency with stimulus control

    Pedram Navab, DO
  • The endless waves of chronic illness

    Michele Luckenbaugh
  • Surviving and thriving after life’s most difficult moments

    Rebecca Fogg, MBA
  • The surprising power of Play-Doh in pediatric care: How it’s bringing families together

    Alexander Rakowsky, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • What is driving physicians to the edge of despair?

      Edward T. Creagan, MD | Physician
    • The untold struggles patients face with resident doctors

      Denise Reich | Conditions
    • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

      Greg Smith, MD | Conditions
    • Breaking free from a toxic relationship with medicine [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Revolutionizing COPD management with virtual care solutions [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
  • Past 6 Months

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Breaking free from a toxic relationship with medicine [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Tom Brady’s legacy and the importance of personal integrity in end-of-life choices

      Kevin Haselhorst, MD | Physician
    • The hidden truths of hospital life: What doctors wish you knew

      Emily Stanford, DO | Physician
    • 10 commandments of ethical affiliate marketing for physicians

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Amy Bissada, DO | Finance
    • The heart of a Desi doctor: Balancing emotions and resources in oncology

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician
    • Safe sex for seniors: Dispelling myths and embracing safe practices [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Journal Shows Its Commitment to Exploring AI in Medicine
  • Do Away With 'Lockout' Period in iPLEDGE, FDA Advisors Urge
  • Cluster Headache, Migraine Linked to Circadian System
  • Smaller Liver Transplant Candidates Wait Longer, Less Likely to Receive Organ
  • A 'Double Whammy' for Gastric Cancer Risk

Meeting Coverage

  • Oral Roflumilast Effective in the Treatment of Plaque Psoriasis
  • Phase III Trials 'Hit a Home Run' in Advanced Endometrial Cancer
  • Cannabis Use Common in Post-Surgery Patients on Opioid Tapering
  • Less Abuse With Extended-Release Oxycodone, Poison Center Data Suggest
  • Novel Strategies Show Winning Potential in Ovarian Cancer
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • What is driving physicians to the edge of despair?

      Edward T. Creagan, MD | Physician
    • The untold struggles patients face with resident doctors

      Denise Reich | Conditions
    • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

      Greg Smith, MD | Conditions
    • Breaking free from a toxic relationship with medicine [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Revolutionizing COPD management with virtual care solutions [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
  • Past 6 Months

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • It’s time for C-suite to contract directly with physicians for part-time work

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Breaking free from a toxic relationship with medicine [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Tom Brady’s legacy and the importance of personal integrity in end-of-life choices

      Kevin Haselhorst, MD | Physician
    • The hidden truths of hospital life: What doctors wish you knew

      Emily Stanford, DO | Physician
    • 10 commandments of ethical affiliate marketing for physicians

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Amy Bissada, DO | Finance
    • The heart of a Desi doctor: Balancing emotions and resources in oncology

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician
    • Safe sex for seniors: Dispelling myths and embracing safe practices [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today iMedicalApps
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...