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Amy reviews ER computer games
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Amy is a 16-year-old student who aspires to become an ER doctor or work in
a similar specialty. Amy is the living embodiment of the word assiduous,
and I have no doubt that she possesses the mental wherewithal and dogged
determination that it takes to become a physician. Amy began writing to
me a long time ago, and I now think of her in an avuncular way as the little
sister or niece I never had. Thus, I did my best to dissuade her from a
medical career, but her determination never wavered. Thank God for
that. Yes, medicine is a flawed profession with many drawbacks, but someone
must be there to take care of you and I when we're old codgers. It is
comforting to know that there are still some highly dedicated people, and I
cannot think of anyone who epitomizes this more than Amy. Thus, Amy is
the first person I offered to have her own niche on my web site. This is
the first of what will probably be many more pages in the months and years to
come as Amy continues in her education and fulfills her dream of becoming a
doctor. I think this transformation will be interesting to witness, so
check back in the future for much more from Amy.
Amy leads off with . . .
Amy
Reviews ER Computer Games
Emergency Room:
Disaster Strikes The Bullet: Oh, no! There's been a
fire . . . and a mudslide . . . and a freeway pile-up! You're the doctor
and you must save them all!
First Thought: I'm the doctor?! Oh, dear.
The Game in General: The game starts out with a news reporter telling you that three major
disasters have hit Los Angles. You must choose which disaster scene you would
like to go to first. Once you get there, you sign in with the paramedic, then
review each victim's chart on your "Med-O-Matic" (i.e. a little
computer-like thing you carry around with you) and choose the patient you
want. You hop in an ambulance with your patient and scurry over to Liberty
Memorial Hospital. There, you are greeted by the cranky admissions
nurse, who tells you to hurry up, because if you don't, she'll have your head.
You run to the exam room, where another nurse tells you to hurry (apparently,
there's a time limit on treating patients). You then start to examine
the patient with the tools found in the cabinet on your right. After you hurry
through this, you rush to the lab and imaging rooms to order the necessary
tests. After this, you go to the treatment room to — you guessed it —
treat the patient. After you fill out the hospital and discharge orders,
you're free to go. Almost. You have the option of listening to the Chief of
Medicine review your case. When you first start playing the game, this is very
helpful for catching mistakes. After you become a relatively good doctor,
however, this feature gets annoying.
Random Thoughts: • Besides the emphasis on rushing, not very realistic. Of course, the
patients on this game must have legitimate reasons for coming to the ER, otherwise you couldn't play doctor and treat them.
• I actually had to do a pregnancy test on a woman who was in labor!
• They only have five or six different people photographed for all 100
cases...which seemed a little weird after a while. ("Wait ... didn't I
just treat him at the mudslide scene?")
• If you treat enough patients successfully, you can become the Chief of
Staff!
• Every once in a while, the current Chief of Staff will pop up and add his
comments to what you're doing.
• The time limit for treating patients becomes shorter and shorter the
better you become.
• You don't need to take notes; the computer does it automatically.
Endnotes: This is a fun and entertaining game to play, just don't expect it to
be like a real ER.
Emergency Room 3
The Bullet: Another ER game, from Legacy
Interactive, this time with new cases and simple surgical procedures.
First Thought: Surgical procedures? Hehehehe...
The Game in General: This game begins with you, a medical student on an ER rotation, entering the
Emergency Ward. You can choose one of three patient's clipboards in the rack
and review their case while the on-call nurse puts in her two-cents worth
about the patient you're reviewing. After choosing a patient, you go to either
an exam room or to a trauma room, depending on the patient's condition. Once
there, you diagnosis the patient using the different tools on the toolbar to
your left. After diagnosing the patient, you perform any necessary treatment
procedures, then discharge the patient. Once again, the Chief of Staff will
review your case when you're through.
Random Thoughts: • More realistic than
Disaster Strikes, although the patient
complaints were mundane. (e.g. broken arms, MVAs, and sports accidents)
• I got to shock a guy with a defibrillator!
• This game had more complex treatment procedures, such as inserting chest
tubes.
• If you click on the other nurses and doctors standing around the gurney,
they will give you advice.
• This game doesn't automatically take notes, so I would suggest doing it
yourself on a spare piece of paper.
• There's no time limit on this game, but you lose points if you aren't
speedy.
Endnotes: Relatively realistic, this game is challenging and educational.
Emergency Room: Code Red
The Bullet: "Treat critical patients while
the city erupts in riots!"
First Thought: Oh! Computerized characters from the show
ER! I
hope there's one of Dr. Carter.
The Game in General: This game is a lot more fast-paced and realistic than the others I've played.
One of my first patients was a teenage boy with a hernia. Although I
correctly diagnosed him in less than 3 minutes, I didn't receive any
efficiency points at all. At random times during the game, critical patients
roll in that you have to care for immediately. Also, the patients' complaints
are much more diverse and often deal with patients in need of mental, not just
physical, healthcare. I found this game more difficult to get around in, but
the graphics were excellent. This game's discharge orders are very similar to
ER 3, which
made things less confusing.
Random Thoughts: • Great big thanks to my best friend (almost sister), Rachel, for letting me
borrow this game from her!
• Drat, no Carter! Only two of the nurses from the show were on the game.
• Be very, very, VERY quick in your discharge orders. They can eat up a lot of
unnecessary time.
• You can judge how well you're doing by reading comments from the overseeing
doctor and patients.
• The overseeing doctor has a British accent, which was odd.
• This game automatically takes notes for you.
Endnotes: This game is the most realistic one yet, and I definitely enjoyed it.
Amy's Review
of True Emergency Room Stories
I first stumbled upon
True
Emergency Room Stories at the public library. Why it was at the library,
since as far as I know, it's only available through Amazon, is beyond me. In
fact, I've even gone back to the same library to re-check and it wasn't there.
The Fates must have been at work. If I could compare reading this book to
anything, I would compare it to one of those first scenes in the movie, "The
Matrix." More specifically, the one in which the main character Neo is given
the choice between a red pill, which will let him see the world as it really
is, or a blue pill, which will let him go on seeing the illusion of the
matrix. Reading Dr. Pezzi's book is like taking the red pill. Things happen in
emergency rooms that I never would have thought of before and are very
interesting. Furthermore, Dr. Pezzi's book is astonishingly well written. I
don't think I've read any books (or at least not very many) that drew me in
like this one. When I read it, I could picture everything he talked about. Of
course, if you're a sappy person who cries every time you pass a dead possum
on the side of the road, this might not be the best thing. Anyone who is
interested in medicine, especially emergency medicine, should read this book.
Amy's Review
of Heartbeat
Heartbeat by Samuel Finn Published by Booklocker.com, 2002, 232 pages
Wow. This book was absolutely nothing like I thought it would be. It's an
amazing story about a guy who is confused about everything; from God, to his
sexuality, to his mental stability, to death, to his life in general, and is,
more or less, crazy. It kind of had a "Sixth Sense" meets Ernest Hemmingway
feel.
Dr. Finn did a beautiful job writing this book and it completely draws you in
from the beginning. It really isn't about medicine as much as the main
character Leon, but there are a lot of medical conversations concerning Leon's
patients. I think the only negative thing I have to say about this book is
this: foul language. I realize, of course, this is realistic, so it doesn't
bother me. Since this book is very explicit, before reading it you
should check with your parents if you are underage.
Heartbeat is a very well-written book with an original story line. Anyone who
likes to read about crazy people whose job involves other people's lives will
love this book. I know I did.
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