I work in a large local NHS Hospital, on the 'shop floor' - so to speak, & we get the usual pillorying in the local press, with 80% of it being the bad news stories
Still, I guess bad news sells better.....
There may be 2 -3 stories per week, but when we see (for sake of argument) 5,000 patients per week over our A&E Departments, & there's 3 stories in paper, who's getting it right?
We do receive the "Thankyou, you were marvellous!" cards/letters, which are gratefully received, as it shows we are appreciated.
It's always nice when they come back afterwards & thank us face to face, it helps to make up for all the abuse & aggression we get
I was on the receiving end one day last year, when I collapsed in Theatres.
I'd picked up that knee injury (at the 'XC'), & had just come back from a fortnight in Florida, really suffered & hobbled everywhere.
It hurt badly on starting work again, so booked into A&E, had painkillers.
Felt 'iffy', sat down on a bin in Theatre.
Next thing I knew, I was in Resus, having my chest shaved for ECG dots!! - having (as she phrased it to me later)
scaring the sh!t out of Sarah (A&E Registrar), as she thought (by looking at me) that I was having a Heart Attack!!!!
Then, based on recent history, I was kept overnight, CT scanned, & basically checked for a Pulmonary Embolism, as with the flight, & recent return to activity, the thought was I had a DVT, & part of the clot had broken off, hence the collapse
It was embarrassing, as much as anything, as I knew the Nursing staff, & the Doctors too, who were involved with my care
Brilliantly looked after though, by all my collegues & friends in A&E, & the subsequent ward
Thankfully scan showed all clear for PE, so just kept overnight for observation, & released next day, with a fortnights sick-note (mainly due to inability to walk, than the '?PE')
Still had to explain reason for my sickness to management, upon return though
On a lighter note;
As for riders there??, we have the usual 'bloke on bikes' syndrome - commuters on the roughest bits of kit (& no lights, no brakes, ride on pavements, etc..)
In contrast, there's quite a few serious ones;
Consultant Cardiologist; rides in, does various Sportives, rides a tour stage each year, etc...
Consultant Geriatric Medicine; ride from Leeds on 'fixed' (or via train on a Brompton), tours
Consultant Anaesthetist; Triathlete
'EM' Consultants (2) ride in, when they can be bothered (one has a 20 mile commute)
Consultant Radiologist; rides a Roubaix SL4
We did have an A&E Registrar, who rode from Ilkley! (time/weather dependant - sometimes he'd get the train to Leeds & ride from there)
Consultant General Surgeon; Specialized road-bike (doesn't look at his best in lycra though....)
Whilst we have racks & bike-lockers, a (male) staff Nurse had a new full carbon stolen last week, & there's no CCTV coverage of the outside areas apparently.
I'm not sure why he's want to come on something like that, & risk it, as he's got other bikes (Consultants usually take theirs to their offices in non-public areas)
One of my collegues & myself ride in most days (I've normally split between riding & running there for the past 3 years though, but have foot injury, so back on bike every day)
He's all over the place, & rides off to Scarborough/Wolds/North York Moors for the day (as well as 'testing' & road-racing)
One Nurse I know ride in from Leeds, she only does it when on days though, but I do worry about her, as sometimes she picks a very quiet route
is ambulance crew and a former theatre nurse. I can only marvel at her dedication and enthusiasm.
