Okay, I’m at a computer now and can answer.
To do a surgery or a procedure it’s several phases. First, I explain the procedure to a patient and their family. I do what is known as an “informed consent” where I tell them the risks, benefits, and alternatives. If it’s an emergency, obviously, I skip this.
Then we make sure the patient is comfortable. Half of it is that you don’t want to create excessive discomfort, and half of it is that you don’t want them moving around when you have a needle stuck in them.
When I do the procedure, as I mentioned my attention is zoned into exactly what I am doing, although if I am responsible for any sedation I keep one eye on the patient’s clinical status. Audio helps with this as the oxygen saturation measurement has an audio component to it.
What I do is then do whatever I’m doing (central line, colonoscopy, lumbar puncture, whatever) and do JUST that. I can have a conversation when I’m doing it, but only because I’ve been doing these things for many years and can compartmentalize.
Cutting a person’s skin is very different than cutting meat because people bleed. So you have to be very careful to either avoid, tie off, or cauterize blood vessels. If blood fills your field, it makes things much harder.
If you want to know what cutting through skin feels like, get an exacto knife and cut through pigs skin. It’s about the same consistency.
Hope that helps.