Tag Archives: Allied Health Professionals

#TOTW (x26!) #MedShift

Ciao!

This week, after securing the relevant permissions form my boss and the communications people at work, I finally took the plunge and joined the increasing number of health professionals that are using #MedShift. I was a tad wary of using it to start with to be honest  – and still am, come to that – because of the obvious issues relating to confidentiality and such like. However, this week when I was on nights I decided to tentatively dip my toes in the #MedShift ocean and below I have collated the results:

Night 1 of 4

  • 1 of 4: Handover from day shift – no outstanding portables, equipment OK(ish) I’m on 2000-0800. Let’s do this! 🏥
  • Halfway through the and after a challenging trauma patient it’s now time for a break – and relax 👍 🏥
  • Urgent portable req. for ward pt. vs. need for a CXR on ITU – 1 radiographer available – solution? Call ITU & OK to wait ✅ 🏥
  • Trauma calls, portables throughout the hospital, usual A&E patients & just 1 minor issue to handover to day shift. Job done! ✅ 🏥
  • Home safe 🏠 ☺️ Shower, tea, toast, and some tele to unwind, thence ta bed for this ‘r 🏥 1 down, 3 to go! 👍 Night peops! 🌙💤

 

Night 2 of 4

  • Great start to 2 of 4 – left the imaging detector on a patient’s trolley and had to go retrieve it from A&E! Oops! 🏥

  • Back from another trauma call – car vs. pedestrian, no plain films required ✅ as patient going to CT for scan 👍 🏥
  • This is the time in a when you just want to be at home in bed 😕 Not long to go thankfully! ✅ 🏥
  • 🏠 sweet 🏠! 2 down & 2 to go! 👍 After the necessary ablution & food it will be time 4 the best part of a – BEDTIME! ✅ 🏥

 

Night 3 of 4

  • A splash of Issey Miyake and I’m good to go! 3 of 4 here I go! 🏥 (Other EDTs are available! 😂)
  • Off on my first portable of the shift – elderly male too unwell to come down to the department. Not uncommon on a 🏥
  • Another chest/abdo request! Prob the most common combination imaging request! Male, abdo pain, vomiting, obstruction, query perf 🏥
  • Back from another portable – this time an elderly lady with difficulty breathing & definitely too unwell to come down to dept 🏥
  • Into the “golden hour” – the final hour of the 👍✅ Soon be time for 🏠 & 💤💤💤 after this 🏥
  • When you get home & realise there are chunks of the journey you just don’t remember – not good 😔 Just 1 more to go ✅ 🏥

 

Night 4 of 4

  • The ‘Q’ word is something we don’t mention – a bit like the Scottish play 😂 🏥
  • Last & I’ve yet to do probably the 2nd most common combo of foot&ankle – most unusual! 🏥
  • Preparations for departure! 4 of 4 done! Hope you’ve enjoyed my first foray into ✅👍🎉😴 L8rs!!!hometime

So there you have it – a set of nights in a nutshell. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed taking a look at them to get a glimpse of what it’s like as a radiographer on nightshift. I’ll continue to use #MedShift as and when, but I don’t intend to tweet every shift, all shift! It’s more to give an insight into the work we do – as not everyone knows what a radiographer is and does 🙂

Hopefully newly qualified radiographers can also get an idea of what lies ahead when they start on shift!

Oh well, as ever, feedback always appreciated!

Ben 🙂

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#TOTW from 02-03-16 ‘How *NOT* to use #SoMe’

Evenin’ all!

For those of you that haven’t come across the term #SoMe before – those of you that haven’t been following my blog before now that is – then it’s short for #SocialMedia. So the title and topic of this week’s #TOTW is:

You’d think someone in his position would have a bit more sense…clearly not! How *NOT* to use

Now you would think, or at least hope that someone in this doctor’s position would have a bit more common sense and may be a bit more ‘media-savvy,’ however it would appear not to be the case! Of course if he has those beliefs and opinions then that’s fine, so long as he keeps them to himself. Given that he is a consultant in a position of responsibility, then this is clearly not acceptable behaviour and he should indeed receive at the very least a good ticking off from his professional body. I would also hope he be booked on a course to teach him how to use #SoMe responsibly!

For those of us in healthcare that choose to use #SoMe to keep in touch with fellow professionals it is important to remember that what we put out there is going into the public domain for anyone and everyone to see – regardless of how tightly you think you have your privacy settings locked down! It is worth looking up to see if your employer has a policy on #SoMe. If you work for the NHS then chances are they will have. Download it, read it, and take note! You, and you alone are responsible for what you put out there. If you are still unsure as to what you should or perhaps more importantly, shouldn’t be publishing via #SoMe, then there is plenty of material available online for you to #GoLearn!

And remember…#SoMe should and can be fun as well as using it for your continuing professional development!

That’s ya lot for this week folks!

Benjamin S.

 

#TOTW from 31-10-15 ‘FGM reporting law comes into force’

Ciao!

Another good week with 11 new followers on Twitter. Haven’t had any new followers on here for a while unfortunately! Ah well, can’t have it all!

This week – yesterday in fact – saw the introduction of a new law that means allied health professionals, teachers, doctors and the like are duty-bound to report instances of Female Genital Mutilation or FGM as is is commonly known. My #TOTW therefore, is:

Calling all – reporting law comes into force

If you don’t know what FGM is and are in one of the above professions, then click on the link and find out out a bit more about it. Even if you’re not in one of the above-mentioned professions and are interested in learning a bit more about the subject then go take a look! There are many instances of FGM covered in the media these days and it would be great if more people were aware of the practice and the ways in which the international community is trying to eliminate it.

Thanks for taking the time to read this far!

Until the next time…

Ben 🙂

#TOTW from 17-08-15 ‘New NICE guidelines up for consultation’

Afternoon all!

How quickly the week passes by and it’s time for yet another #TOTW! This week I have decided to flag up the new NICE guidelines that are out for consultation:

New guidelines from up for consultation including those on &

The documents might not make for a riveting read, but if like myself you are involved in the care of patients either in a pre-hospital or hospital setting, then it would be worth casting your eye over them. They will give you an idea of what NICE’s current thinking is in regard to the management of major trauma services and fractures.

The link above is to the webpage of the Society of Radiographers’ which will in -turn take you to the NICE website and provide the guidelines, both in full and in summary that you might care to have a look at.

Like I said above, it might not be sexy, but then a lot of the stuff that we do as allied health professionals just isn’t!

As a former school master was once keen on saying, “read, learn and inwardly digest!” Isn’t that right Mr. Jackman? I hope he agrees from “up above!”

Until the next time…

Ben

#TOTM from 10-05-15 “#SoR WEEK”

Hey, hey, hey!

Welcome to my very first #TOTM or as you have probably already guessed “Tweet Of The Month!” On the first day of each new month I will be selecting a tweet from the previous month that stands out for me as one of my favourites. It might be an existing #TOTW as in this case, it might be a favourite, or it might even be a tweet that after trawling through my month’s worth of tweets I re-discovered and felt it deserved a chance!

Anyways, here it is, my #TOTM from May:

http://wp.me/p4r8be-4j

I hope it gives you another opportunity to take a look at some of the great work that the Society of Radiographers and it’s members do. There are a growing number of us, along with other allied health professionals that are trying to make the most of social media to keep in touch and to share knowledge, whilst in the meantime having fun in the process!

Thanks for all your continued support. I hope you continue to get in touch, like, share, and follow me and my endeavours!

Here’s to June and all it brings…other than my 40th birthday that is!

Ben 🙂