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Discussion

fetching the doctor's tea

Just a small anecdote that happened when working at the National Neurological hospital in central London - it's the most prestigious neuro hospital in the country.

Anyway, my friend made the headlines of the local tabloids because we were both working there as temp nurses, and we'd only worked a few shifts before, but the surgeon was used to the nurses automatically getting his cup of tea, but as we were new there, had no idea. But he didn't tell me to get the tea (maybe because I was a guy) but he asked my friend (who was female) where his cup of tea was.

She politely told him she was there to fetch his tea for him.

The doctor didn't exactly complain, well, nothing official, but he did speak to the charge nurse, who did excused the temp nurses actions and had a quiet word with her.

My friend wasn't happy about this, moaned about it to her friends outside of work, one of whom happened to work in the newspaper business, and suddenly her story is on the front page of the paper.

Anyway, just saying.

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Tabloids & politely told him.

So does 2+2=5 in this story?

It must be posting day at Sunny Brook Farms!

"God bless Aunt Miranda! God bless the brick house that was! God bless the brick house that is to be!"

I had a doctor request that I buy crushed ice (for her to chew) and fetch her dry cleaners on my lunch break

What a tempest in a teapot! Just when we thought AN was safely returned to mundane medical threads, we've rebounded back into the land of European medical marvels.

I had a doctor request that I buy crushed ice (for her to chew) and fetch her dry cleaners on my lunch break

A) They can request until they're blue in the face. As Effie Trinket would say, "May the odds be ever in his favor."

B) Ice is the one thing that's readily available in every hospital I've ever been in

So you've worked neuro, also

So you've worked neuro, also

It seems he's worked everywhere since he has a story for every discipline.

I did call a doctors' practice once when I was in Europe, with an important concern, and I was told that the doctor along with the staff were on their "tea break," so no-one was able to speak to me at that time, and it was necessary for me to call back later.

B) Ice is the one thing that's readily available in every hospital I've ever been in

Unfortunately it was an office and I was their nurse/office manager still in my 90 day probationary period...I ended up quiting after less than two months...the woman was nuts. Her dentist must stay busy though.

Her dentist must stay busy though.

Vanity or bad habits?

I did call a doctors' practice once when I was in Europe, with an important concern, and I was told that the doctor along with the staff were on their "tea break," so no-one was able to speak to me at that time, and it was necessary for me to call back later.

Nothing wrong with that. Your urgent isn't their urgent. People actually leave the building and go out.

I know one doctor who's favourite memory of working in the UK is of the tea and bacon butties brought into the OR break for snacks between cases.

Different culture, different values.

Nothing wrong with that. Your urgent isn't their urgent. People actually leave the building and go out.

Different culture, different values.

You are absolutely right Fiona59; thank you for taking the time to educate me. I actually come from Europe, so I am familiar with differences in culture, but thank you all the same for informing me that there are differences.

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