Question for techs who do neuro IR
I have been a scrub tech for 5 years and have been on the neuro team at my hospital the entire time. I mostly do spine, but on average do about 1 neuro IR case per week or 2. It's cerebral angiograms, embolizations, strokes, etc. We also don't have first assists in neuro IR cases so it's just me and the doctor scrubbed in.
I just feel inadequate. I don't know every single step of the process with the microcatheters or the names of all of them or how they all go together. I was never taught. The doctor I usually work with puts the catheters together himself. If he wants me to put something together he tells me to do it. We just hired a new surgeon who has been frustrated at me for not knowing how or when to do all of those things. She is used to having the IR techs scrubbed in with her who know everything that needs to be done.
I'm just wondering if there's any other neuro techs who feel this way, or any who don't. I feel pretty bad about myself for not knowing every step. I'm a perfectionist and I excel at spine and cranis, but still feel like I'm just floating through neuro IR even after 5 years. I want to know if this is normal and typical.