EBME Forums Forums Management Equipment Libraries Decontamination

"The next life this equipment saves could be yours" (or something similar) has been emblazoned across equipment packaging for more years than I care to remember. I have always believed it to be more of a (rather unimaginative attempt at an) advertising slogan than a prod to the users' conscience (... OK, perhaps it was really aimed at trying to prevent some Neanderthal from dropping it in transit ... if so, then again, it makes the mistake of a presumption of literacy)!

No, as I've already said, it's people like us (the biomeds) who just have to keep on spreading the word (guiding - or moaning on at them - the equipment users). I know many (myself included) who started out in this "trade" bright, keen, and earnest. Eager to solve all the problems, and put everything to rights. No wonder we're all so worn out now, some thirty-odd years later!

I always thought the "The Next life this equipment saves" message was actually put on to get a swift service when travelling via Royal Mail. I remember the last mail strike going up to the depot for Aquatic plants for a fish tank and being told that Royal mail priorities what's most likely to get them in trouble or what's most likely to stink the depot out!

Also going back to the Nintendo generation for a second, the generation that it originally appeared in still played out doors and weren't metaphysically wrapped up in cotton wool. These days if you go down the street and feel a earth tremor it's probably a simultaneous movement of middle age spread, all shifting about on Wii fit's at the same time! The generation Nintendo first appealed to is probably their minority customer now.

Since the Playstation first came out, generations after have been more wrapped up in cotton wool and it has been considered that children should be more protected from society. It does mean that today’s children probably don't play outdoors so much and don't get exposed to much dirty. If anything dirty has now become a big taboo with parents cleaning their kids off when the slightest bit of dirt gets on them.

No wonder we've now grown a society of unfit dirt dodgers who are more afraid of dirt and reluctant to get their hands dirty!

Not playing outside? So who are all those feral, hooded, characters I see slinking about in packs any time after dusk (usually yelling incoherently at each other)?

Not dirty? What's all that garbage doing blowing down the street, then?

Decontamination? Definitely right on topic!

Maybe the rougher area's where parents don't care where their children are or what their up to. A few in those areas seem to be more interested in how they can copy Shameless and not get caught by the cops.

But with the stories of gangs and paedophiles roaming our streets there certainly seems to be a generation of 4x4 soccer mum's who don't let their little brat's off their apron strings, ferry them everywhere and let them spend all day in their rooms playing games and watching TV. Our next door neighbours kid falls into that category, we call her the "princess" and boy is she going to get a shock when she starts her first job

Sorry, Mate ... but you've got me there. I don't even know what Shameless is (but, what's more, I don't want to know)!

It seems that many young people feel alienated from their family and community, so peer group pressure plays a big part in gang culture, causing behaviour that an individual on his (her) own would not contemplate. Well, that's one of the excuses that routinely gets trotted out.

I myself feel alienated to quite a degree (from "society", especially), but still manage not to go around making (too much of) a nuisance of myself. But, there again, I'm not young!

As for "rougher areas" ... well, I don't know where you live, Chris, but I see the types I'm referring to everywhere I go in the UK (but I do know that Bristol, like all large British cities, has at least its fair share of "low-life"). Perhaps, as one who always stays in what you might call "low-rent areas", I'm exposed more than most? I don't think so.

I know what you mean about those who use their Chelsea Tractors for the School Run (and all the rest). And, frankly, I despise that behaviour (also).

But what makes you think (expect, hope?) that the "princess" is in line for a shock? Will she be getting a real job then (I thought those were all left to migrants)?

And lastly, can I assume that your neighbour doesn't tune-in to this forum, much, then? Ha, ha.

Meanwhile ... decontamination?

Well if you did

I thought the migrants were going home? The increasing pound means that England isn't the land of plenty it use to be. As for the "princess" like quite a lot of youth these days I don't think the schooling system has prepared her for life let alone working life. Thinking about she'll probably go to university which these days seems to do just as good a job as schools.

Not unless the forum's renamed to Horse and hounds

What's the saying, just can't get the staff! Do we have a society that's willing to clean or is it just too dirty a job?

Back on track, what ever happened to the nursing auxiliaries who cleaned everything until it was sparkling (including the patients). They didn't get paid much but they were invaluable.

It appears that when you go on a ward now days there are often only one or two qualified nurses and several nursing auxiliaries, these are expected to carry out virtually all of the duties that use to be the preserve of qualified nurses and therefore have less time to do the tasks they used to do.

Lee

... ah, but are the government's targets being met (that's the important thing)?

Possibly, however once again we see that while targets can help to reduce problems in a particular target area they can have unforeseen repercussions.

Lee