Do you require a bed or are you happy to stand?

I was tempted to ask patients this question today after just about the busiest day I can recall working in Admissions.


Newly admitting patients streamed into the hospital all day today pretty well without a break. Add to that a greater than usual number of 'walk ins' (patients referred directly to us by the Admitting Doctor without prior booking) plus a heavy load of preadmission appointments and it was one of the most tiring days I have experienced at the Hospital.

I joked to one of the staff members that the Hospital might need to install bunk beds to cope with the numbers and then was momentarily taken aback when he appeared to ponder the thought as a serious suggestion.

I also jokingly suggested to the Volunteer Coordinator that she might consider paying me a bonus. I think the Hospital gets good value from my twenty or so hours a week work that costs them nothing more than the $7 a day lunch coupon I receive.