I see so many different hospital staff I am not even sure which doctor is in charge of my care. How do I keep track of them all?
Anybody who has worked in a large hospital has heard this complaint before. Transplantation can involve huge numbers of caregivers. The team approach to patient care is a result of modern hospital practice and the complexities of caring for transplant candidates and recipients. It is helpful to have some idea of the role that different staff members play in your care.
A teaching hospital trains students from many clinical disciplines. If you receive care in such a setting, you will meet several types of trainees. Students work under the close supervision of their seniors. A medical student (sometimes called a clinical clerk), intern, or junior resident will often assume first responsibility for your day to day care. A senior resident, chief resident or fellow supervises the day to day care and report in turn to a specialist. Do not underestimate the experience of the senior trainees. Many of them have several years of specialty experience. Any trainee not qualified to make a particular decision or to answer a question is expected to take the problem to their senior. It is their responsibility to know which clinical problems they cannot manage.
To further confuse you, there may be several different teams of doctors involved in your care. Imagine for example that a transplant team is assessing you for a pancreas transplant. At the very least, a surgeon and endocrinologist will see you. But they may require the opinion of a cardiologist, a nephrologist or an anesthetist. If you also happen to have arthritis, they may ask a rheumatologist to help with your care. Each of these specialists may have their own trainees (an intern, resident or fellow). No wonder it can be so difficult to keep track of all the doctors.
Nursing students may also take part in your care. But usually, no more than one student and one nursing supervisor work together at a time. You may also meet someone called a clinical nurse specialist. This is a nurse with specialized training. A clinical nurse specialist may help you and the other nursing staff deals with some particular problem. Typically, there is also a charge nurse, nursing manager, or head nurse who is responsible for supervising the duties of the other nursing staff.
Besides doctors and nurses, the hospital team may include a nutritionist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, psychologist, social worker, chaplain, and others. You should not hesitate to ask any of them exactly what role they play in your care. You might find it helpful to keep a list of names and titles for each person who you meet.