Things to do at the end of the shift
10 minutes left to go until the end of my shift and I have just finished sorting out one last patient. There is one patient waiting to be seen in majors and a new doctor arriving in 10 minutes time.
I could:
1. Chat with the nurses or the other doctors.
This increases morale and makes the working environment much more pleasant. Happy doctors and nurses are nicer to patients. It's for the good of the community!!
2. See the patient who is waiting in majors.
And end up staying another extra two hours in order to sort out their various medical problems and refer them onto the relevant specialities. What a martyr. Meanwhile, the new doctor checks his email for a whole hour. I resent the new doctor and mutter curses at him under my breath.
3. Wander round to minors and to see one 'quick' patient.
End up stoically seeing three patients and staying an extra hour. A real champion. Suffering in silence and all that. Bring on the tissues. The nurses are nicer to me after that and bring me chocolates whenever I work in minors.
4. Do menial tasks for the other doctors on duty.
Like order blood tests, put up drips, write out Xray cards, prescribe analgesia or dipstick urine. The other doctors are nicer to me after that and return the favours whenever they can. During my next shift, they willingly see the screaming maniac while I see the cute baby. :)
5. Look busy by faffing about.
Did I say 'faffing about'? I meant by doing useful things like repeatedly checking blood results on different computers, constantly reviewing patients on the observation unit, holding the hands of crying relatives, walking round the department mumbling and clutching pieces of paper, writing highly detailed discharge summaries and the like. Everyone gossips about how conscientious and compassionate I am. The nurses say nice things about my handwriting. The patients on the observation unit are impressed with my dedication and write me thank you letters.
6. Find the most senior person on duty and wheedle them into letting me go home 10 minutes early.
Everyone lives vicariously through me. The most senior person on duty is now the hero of all the doctors in the department.
Personally, I prefer the last option.
Which option would you choose?
I could:
1. Chat with the nurses or the other doctors.
This increases morale and makes the working environment much more pleasant. Happy doctors and nurses are nicer to patients. It's for the good of the community!!
2. See the patient who is waiting in majors.
And end up staying another extra two hours in order to sort out their various medical problems and refer them onto the relevant specialities. What a martyr. Meanwhile, the new doctor checks his email for a whole hour. I resent the new doctor and mutter curses at him under my breath.
3. Wander round to minors and to see one 'quick' patient.
End up stoically seeing three patients and staying an extra hour. A real champion. Suffering in silence and all that. Bring on the tissues. The nurses are nicer to me after that and bring me chocolates whenever I work in minors.
4. Do menial tasks for the other doctors on duty.
Like order blood tests, put up drips, write out Xray cards, prescribe analgesia or dipstick urine. The other doctors are nicer to me after that and return the favours whenever they can. During my next shift, they willingly see the screaming maniac while I see the cute baby. :)
5. Look busy by faffing about.
Did I say 'faffing about'? I meant by doing useful things like repeatedly checking blood results on different computers, constantly reviewing patients on the observation unit, holding the hands of crying relatives, walking round the department mumbling and clutching pieces of paper, writing highly detailed discharge summaries and the like. Everyone gossips about how conscientious and compassionate I am. The nurses say nice things about my handwriting. The patients on the observation unit are impressed with my dedication and write me thank you letters.
6. Find the most senior person on duty and wheedle them into letting me go home 10 minutes early.
Everyone lives vicariously through me. The most senior person on duty is now the hero of all the doctors in the department.
Personally, I prefer the last option.
Which option would you choose?
posted by tscd at 7:20 pm
5 Comments:
4. No extra hours + actually doing work.
1,2,3,6 also can.
5! Always good to appear conscientious and hardworking and actually get a little bit done. Especially if you have nice handwriting for the nurses to comment on. Heh. Or 4 would do too - actually why don't you mix 4 and 5! (:
i know im a little late, but not only did i vote for you on the medical thingimajob- i nominated you for best overseas sg blog on the sg blog awards 2005, such a fan am i. :)
back to chilly old england i go.
Faf.
ironix: The problem with option 4 is that it makes it very clear to everyone else that you are trying to avoid seeing the next patient. And I don't actually count it as 'actually doing work' because it only takes doctors 2 seconds to do those things on their own.
w and missy: You guys are my kind of people! The next time I meticulously handwrite a referral letter, I will think of you and take extra pains to make the letter more readable.
j: Wow, thanks!
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