EBME Forums Forums Management Medical Equipment Management Sleazy ebme depts

Sleazy...

I am speaking at the IPEM conference in York on Sleaze in our profession and how to avoid it.

I am looking for examples of shoddy dilapidated facilities, poor working practices, lack of investment...etc. If you have worked in a place that you considered was in this category - or is in this category, please tell me more. Either here or by PM.

No names of places or people please, just examples.

Starter for 1:
I remember working in a basement room with no natural daylight and high level windows that went into the corridor. I was in there with 3 other techs. The room was no more than 4metres square. Depressing! We did eventually escape into a much nicer facility.

Almost every place I've worked was what could be termed "environmentally depressing", John (...not to mention some of my fellow techs, I might add).

But, that's not sleaze, surely? That's what governments do!

We are based in a glorified metal shed (okay a fairly large metal shed) and during the summer before last we recorded over 40 degrees.

Lee

I assume you are thinking about biomed sheds in the British NHS, John? As in, working from the back of Land-Rovers, in tents, and squatting on dirt roads etc. don't count!

But, what about working on kit balanced on hospital beds, whilst "entertaining" the rest of the patients in the ward?

I thought that sleaze is when you are caught with a pile of pros in a Nazi style orgy!!!

Or run of with the budget.

As for the subject matter that you are on about, the ability to ignore electrical safety, and H&S astounds me in a lot of areas.

You should not be able to touch a fellow worker with out stretched arms, but I bet there is alot of you out there who dont even need to stretch.

I have had quite a few e-mails about EBME techs working in dilapidated facilities - ignored by senior management. It's disgusting! It makes my blood boil!

I have had this in the past, and there are ways to get your own way. I will be passing on my methods at the IPEM meeting in York.

If you don't mind me saying, John, methinks you over state the case a little! In my experience, people of quality do good work whatever environment they find themselves in. As an example, I would cite military (and naval) surgeons, who often work in tents (not too far behind the scene of the action, either ... remember the Falklands?). And, surely biomeds find themselves out on the units (wards etc.) a good deal of the time (OK, that can be disgusting).

I doubt that anyone wants me to start swapping stories, but I should imagine I've worked in more "environmentally depressing" situations than most. To be honest, it doesn't bother me much (but perhaps, after all this time, I've just become used to it).

... and ... I thought you were senior management!

Also, once you've said your piece at the conference, how about sharing your methods right here?

I've already shared all my knowledge here Geoff, it is all here: https://www.ebme.co.uk/arts/links/index.php
It is always nice to meet people face to face, and not everyone knows how to use this forum.

I have worked on tented wards during the first Gulf War, and had a tent as my workshop - but thats war. I don't think it is suitable for the NHS - Tents are temporary.

Is Sleazy the right word? I am not so sure maybe it should have been Inadequate ebme depts.
Sleazy conjures up thoughts of the people in them and not the actual premises!

Well, maybe we've all misunderstood, and John is actually talking about the people and not just their surroundings.

I'm familiar with a fair number of NHS "EBME" workshops, and have to say that I wouldn't have a problem myself in working in any of them (grim as some may appear). But whether I would be happy working with all the techs I encounter (or, of course, they with me) is another matter entirely!

As I've said a number of times before (but can't find the link right now - sorry to disappoint), I believe that the key to any successful biomed operation is the tech. And by that I mean the quality, competence, reliability and general suitability and character of the medical equipment engineering technician. Good biomeds have to want to do the job. They just get on with it, rather than keep finding reasons not to get it done.

In short, good people can (and do) do good work, regardless of their surroundings. If I had to choose between a bunch of good guys in mediocre workshops, and a bunch of "educated idiots" in a state-of-the-art facility ... well, I guess you can tell which one I'd go for!