Playing Telephone

Last night I called a doctor about getting a drug ordered for my patient.  The day shift nurse had attempted to get the medication ordered but had no success.  After arguing with me for a few minutes, the physcian said, "Okay, fine!  She can have it, then!"

I said, "Great!  Are you going to put that order in?"

He said, "I, uhh--I'm not near a computer.  Can you do it?"

I said, "I'm not, either."

He said, "I'm placing a central line."

I said, "I'm coding a patient."

He said, "I'm resecting a brain tumor."

I said, "I'm fighting ninjas."

He said, "I'm performing open-heart surgery."

I said, "I'm taking off in the space shuttle."

I said, "Losing you...zzzzzzkk...can't hear...zzzzzkk...put in order....zzzzkk..."

All communication was lost then.  I guess he didn't understand, because he didn't put the order in. 

I waited an hour and paged the oncoming resident to put it in.

Reception is so sketchy out there in space.