Read on Twitter
Appreciation // #ADayInTheLifeOfABiomedicalScientist
1. Reading SOPs when you're new is mandatory but mundane. After a few days absorbing and answering questions to show I had retained some of what I had read, I received that all important signature to confirm my competence.
1. Reading SOPs when you're new is mandatory but mundane. After a few days absorbing and answering questions to show I had retained some of what I had read, I received that all important signature to confirm my competence.
2. My fingers touched the keyboard to access the haematology clinical validation queue. Though I had not used the system for many months, they danced across, like playing the piano. Checking the clinical details, previous results and adding blood films when needed.
3. Authorise. Next. Authorise. Check. Repeat.
Platelets of 84 in a post exchange patient. Authorise.
Haemoglobin drop from 110 to 97. Clinical details; "PPH". Authorise.
MCV of 124. Previously 126. Authorise.
Baby with platelets of 39. Check. Clotted.
Platelets of 84 in a post exchange patient. Authorise.
Haemoglobin drop from 110 to 97. Clinical details; "PPH". Authorise.
MCV of 124. Previously 126. Authorise.
Baby with platelets of 39. Check. Clotted.
4. Though my fingers remembered the codes, my mind was still rusty recalling the cut-offs for urgent and critical results. While I thought, the validation queue grew longer. Luckily it was less than a page with no more than 13 samples to check through.
5. Samples from the ED needed to be processed and results authorised within 18 minutes. There were none on the queue at the time. I breathed a sigh of relief, relaxed my tense body and sat in the chair. A heavy but gentle hand tapped on my shoulder.
6. My eyes lit up and I smiled behind the mask that covered my face. Though I couldn't see it, I knew he was smiling too. He was the big friendly giant. We spoke about where I had been the previous 9 months, his family, the redness of his eyes, the pandemic.
7. He worked long hard hours and multiple jobs. He was there when most people had left. He made sure the floors were clean, and the bins had been emptied. He was one of the cleaning team. After our short chat I said thank you.
8. Thank you for the hard work, day in day out. For ensuring we had a clean lab in which we worked. It made me think of all those who had played a part, but from within the shadows. Those who got on with it despite the uncertainty and the fear.
9. Those we clapped for, those who stayed at home away from friends and family, those who taught the students in new and innovative ways, those who ensured there was food on the shelves, those who kept the buses and trains going, those who volunteered on the phones to name a few.
10. There will be many stories of people who went over and beyond we will never hear. Stories, of sacrifice and solitude, of loss and resilience. Stories which words may never do justice. But to you all, I say thank you.
Who do you appreciate?
Who do you appreciate?
