Question

Watch an episode of any medical TV show and compare it to real life! Make sure the show you choose is fictional, no reality TV pleasel Present the episode as a sort of case study. giving a summary of the medical cases present, what jobs the different characters have, and how accurate do you think it is? Can you find a real life case that it's based on? Be sure to cite any articles you find. Try and spot as many things that have been fabricated or are inaccurate; these could include medical inaccuracies, incorrect use of medical terminology, or inaccurate uses of medical technology (think CT scans, X-rays, IVs, etc.). Where are the PCA's? Would they let a medical student do that? Has anyone on this show heard of HIPAA? Where is the annoying bureaucratic hierarchy? That's not how you do CPR! Where are all the Crocks and awkward fitting scrubs? Where's the hand sanitizer? Why doesn't the patient constantly have to give their name and date of birth?

Answer 1

The medical TV Show Grey's Anatomy, though based on medical realities, alters some details for dramatic effect. Instances include a medical student performing complex procedures and not adhering strictly to hospital protocols like patient identification and hand sanitizer use. The stories told are usually a blend of different real-life cases as opposed to a direct adaptation.

Step-by-step explanation:

For this exercise, let's consider an episode of the fictional medical TV show, Grey's Anatomy. In this episode, multiple characters juggle several medical cases. Most of the main characters are practicing surgeons, including general surgery, neurosurgery, and cardiovascular surgery.

One particular case in this episode is central – a patient suffering from a mysterious illness, reminiscent of the clinical focus feature where a case unfolds along with a chapter. However, the show may not be entirely accurate - for example, a medical student is seen performing a complex procedure unaided, which is likely not realistic in a real hospital setting due to an established hierarchy and rules about patient safety.

The medical technology used in the show is generally depicted accurately (CT scans, X-rays, etc.), but expedited for the sake of pacing. In contrast to the usually stringent hospital protocol, patient identification processes, use of hand sanitizer, and adherence to HIPAA regulations are taken lightly or entirely skipped on the show.

In doing my research, I couldn’t find a direct real-life case that the episode was based on, as the writers often blend multiple case studies to create a unique story each episode. However, a real-life application from the medical field is borrowed from Dr. Pronovost who implemented checklists in ICU for doctors, reminiscent of what we see used by the doctors in the show when preparing for a procedure.

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