Secrets of your trade.

[Confusedfornow]

I have worked in my current area of expertise for the last 20 years or so. It's in Aviation, can't say exactly what or for who as it's a relatively small community (for my role) and it would be VERY outing. Before this, my only other "job" that I did for a few years was dancing (yes, that kind ). So I don't have massive experience of the world of work.

But I was chatting with some people in a bar over the weekend and conversation turned to jobs and then to my role. I was telling them about some stuff which is perfectly normal to me, but was absolutely news to them.

For instance . .

When a plane is "parked" and everything is switched off, the aircraft is referred to as being "Cold and dark".

If a helicopter has engine failure, it won't just fall out of the sky. The pilots are trained in a procedure called "autorotation" and can usually land safely even if the engine isn't running at all.

All British Airways flights use the call sign "Speed Bird". It's unique and no other airline in the world uses it.

Last one . .

Pilots can't wear polarised sunglasses. They make the electronic displays on the flight deck appear black, and you can't read any information from them.

So, what do you know from your jobs that is mundane for you but which most people wouldn't have a clue/be surprised by?

Everything bought for a Production office ... goes in a skip at the end of the Production

But surely that doesn't make any sense, Hermione? I get that the staff might not have time to clear it all, but surely a charity could bring one of their vans along to do it?

GeneandFred many thanks for your "behind the scenes" piece about ship entertainment. I'm very fond of cruising and have always admired the sheer professionalism of the theatre shows, so it was great to learn a bit more about how it's done

The box is really nothing special but the ticket price is! I hate the cold

Geneandfred thanks for a peek behind the [theatre] scenes! Very enlightening look at human nature some of it; you could write a book? Or, offer private dance lessons?

Thanks @Rockradio I will try to remember when my time for one comes.

I am more worried to hear about how to make them less painful...is that a thing, is there a way to?

Great minds puzzled ! I hadn't read yours I don't know why your message wasn't showing when I was composing mine (behind the scenes)!

Same to Hermione too, a notice that goes up regularly to announce and all the goodies from skip would be cleared! Or a call to local charities to collect, especially as its all new....refuges will always come get furniture and all manner of things needed always, especially for DC.

At the end of filming a modern production the costumes are put on sale for cast and crew to buy, or sold to one of the theatrical costume hire houses. Anything left is donated to charity. The only items that are binned are underwear and socks.

Great idea for a thread OP, fascinating reading.

Another HCP working in elderly care.

Agree completely with all the DNACPR (do not attempt CPR) comments. The majority of the general public are grossly misinformed about the nature and success rates of CPR. Successful CPR after a cardiac arrest in hospital is nowhere near the 50% most people believe - it’s closer to 20, and around 10 if you’re over 65 (low single figures if elderly with an infection on board). A large proportion of these patients will not leave hospital. Those that do may not be neurologically the same as before their cardiac arrest. I would urge everyone to read about CPR and make their own mind up as to whether or not they wish to be resuscitated - quite a lot of people in the field would choose a DNACPR for themselves. The default position in hospitals is to resuscitate - to prevent it, there needs to be a discussion and a form signed.

In a similar vein - everyone who feels strongly about not having particular interventions performed later in life should look into getting a Lasting Power of Attorney to nominate an advocate in the event that you lose the ability to engage in discussions around your care. This only kicks in once capacity is lost. It needs to be specifically for health and welfare not finances (which is a separate document). Of note, the LPA means that your nominated person must be consulted when significant decisions need to be made. It does NOT mean that they can make a decision for you or that their view must prevail irrespective of anything else. You also cannot use an LPA or advanced directive/ living will to actively request / demand specific treatments in the future, it is only to refuse / decline interventions.

Despite media reports we are not trying to kill elderly people because we want their beds. Nor do we euthanise or give excess medications to cause death. However it is not possible (or always desirable) to prolong life - sometimes it simply delays and prolongs the dying process. If you’re ever in the unfortunate position of having an elderly loved one admitted to hospital, please be realisitic in your expectations and engage openly with healthcare professionals when they try to talk about death. Ignoring that it is happening helps no-one, least of all your relative.

The number of elderly patients admitted to hospital who have no visitors or only have visitors who come to talk about money / the will (yes, it does happen), is heartbreaking.

Ash cash is for cremation forms which are performed as an additional duty and therefore not part of a doctor’s contracted duty or pay. In any case, they are likely to disappear soon with contract negotiations.

Medicine as a career in the NHS is fast becoming unappealing. Last year only 30% of very junior doctors entered into specialty specific training. A larger proportion of juniors are choosing not to enter training posts, practice medicine abroad or leave the profession completely than ever before, even amongst those who are relatively senior.

The (new) junior doctors contract discriminates against women, particularly those who have children / work part-time, as found by the government in it’s own equality impact assessment.

I have over 10 years post graduate experience in medicine. I am still called a ‘junior’ doctor.

I’m sure I’ll think of more!

To the PP talking about BTEC’s.

I done a BTEC in secondary school in Applied Science, our teacher literally gave everybody answers for everything. Just told us to word it all in a different way. Every single student in my science class passed with a distinction*. Even students who hardly attended school or had work missing.

Having this qualification got me onto another BTEC Applied science in college. I got bad qualifications in school due to other reasons but because I had distinction*, the college let me on the course. Which I wasn’t clever enough for in the end so I ended up dropping out, because I wasn’t getting enough help, but I felt it was hard to ask for help when I’m supposed to have the highest mark you could get on BTEC.

@Rightwayup You can foster at most stages of adult life as long as you are fit & able. The most important thing is to demonstrate an interest & experience of some sort with young people & children.

Read up around theories of Attachment, Trauma & the effects of abuse on children.

Also I would say try to develop a compassion for parents who lose their children: they might have been awful in some ways but you are likely to have to manage the child’s ongoing relationship with their birth family. Your judgement about them will only add to the stress & confusion for a child.

Be realistic and honest about your own abilities, weaknesses and values; be prepared to reflect and adapt. Embrace learning and development. Consider the impact of your childhood on how you might parent.
Good luck!

Enigmasaurus that was reading, and quite grim. All strength to you for sticking at it. What can we do to make things change for the better (and I will be raising cpr awareness for a start - I think drama plays a big part in all the miraculous rescue beliefs!)

Mountain well he's not done anyone any favours, least of all you! That's a horrible experience designed to knock your confidence. Have you complained about the lack of actual education they were funded for providing? I am really sorry and I hope you can get the right support for your career progression.

I would add to that Fuschia the need to be able to keep sticking at setting the good example and not be disheartened at the bad that their parents may exhibit, detach from it and just do more and more of the good regardless! It might be the only good a child experiences. What a worthy 'job'-vocation

This thread is the gift that just keeps on giving

Thanks everybody.

The default position in hospitals is to resuscitate

I wonder if you could help me to understand this a little better, @Enigmasaurus?

You explained that CPR often has poor outcomes both in % success and consequences, and I believe (?) there's an expectation that if a condition's "treatable" it should be attempted, but if even HCPs avoid CPR wouldn't it be better to view it as something to be used only if NOK insist - and maybe not even then?

I recall a very compassionate doctor talking with my ex when his dad was dying, explaining that while such-and-such could be done it really wasn't in FIL's interests. Fortunately my ex accepted his advice, but I got the impression that if he hadn't the doctor might well have pressed his view further, even to the point of refusal

Was it unreasonable of me to think this, or does that in fact happen?

Smother sadly I think things within the profession are unlikely to improve for the foreseeable future. I have actively discouraged young people from entering medicine and will continue to do so until there is improvement. The junior doctors contract, changes to pension allowances and pay freezes that mean real time loss of upwards of 20% of salary in the last few years combined with the toxic media narrative and unrealistic patient and relative expectations has created the lowest morale I’ve ever seen. I regularly think about leaving. In terms of things you can do - believe that the vast majority of medical professionals are trying to help and want to work with you to achieve the best outcome. And believe that the best outcome isn’t always prolonging life. Be honest and open about what you can offer by way of help for your relative and what you cannot. Engage with us / the therapists / social services to help us support your loved one in the best way we can. Don’t ‘granny dump’ at Christmas or when you go on holiday (yes, this sadly also happens).

puzzled if you are admitted to hospital in the UK you are automatically for resusciatation if you have a cardiac arrest. It requires someone to instigate a conversation about death / dying / CPR for this to be changed. Sometimes (but not often enough IMO), the patient starts the conversation. In some cases (such as that of your ex’s father), the doctor will discuss it and recommend a DNACPR - usually because the predicted outcomes are so poor. IME this tends to be where a patient is predictably unwell or likely to imminently deteriorate. Both highly sensitive and upsetting times. We are not (unfortunately) routinely discussing this with all admitted patients. A lot of people are in denial too and many will not engage in discussions around this.

Not all treatable conditions should be treated, particularly if someone is at / near the end of life. Treating the 6th chest infection in as many weeks does nothing but prolong the inevitable. These decisions are not easy to make however and are very much on a case by case basis. It does require an engaged and realistic family to accept this viewpoint. Just because we can do something, it does not mean we should. Patients and relatives also cannot demand specific treatments or interventions (including CPR) - there is clear legal guidance on this - but HCPs are reluctant (rightly so) to go against strongly held views. It takes time, multiple conversations and discussion of the facts / statistics to reach a mutually acceptable outcome in some cases. The current situation in the UK is that a discussion must be had / attempted with either the patient or nominated NOK before a DNACPR order can be completed. As before, this is not always an easy conversation to have and sadly many HCPs simply avoid it.

@Enigmasaurus can you tell us please how to go about having a DNR ? Do I write a letter and carry it with me? Do I tell my GP? I am in my early 60's and seeing my parents in an awful state has convinced me that I do not want to be left living half a life.

vets have the highest suicide rate of any profession

I'll be amazed if this is true. All the statistics I have seen show that the construction industry has the highest rates by a significant margin.

Enigmasaurus thank you very much for taking the time to explain that so well ... I absolutely accept it isn't easy for families (and must be very hard for staff themselves) but without doubt these things need to be brought to the public's attention much more

Obviously a time of imminent loss isn't ideal for learning about such things for the first time, but hopefully with more knowledge some of the distress might be avoided?

ihate BBC news can and has recently used a studio they have away from broadcasting house because they couldn't broadcast properly from there. And some people work between BH and White city so presumably a certain amount of work could be done from there.

snugglesnuggleblanket
i think the netflix documentary is Root Cause
It has been widely condemned by the dental, medical, and scientific community as being complete tosh!

Thank you for all that info enigma

Yes, I can see that HCPs find it difficult as do the replies, very upsetting and not wanting to face, I can see that. Very tough.

joyfullittlehippo is it ever going to be possible to put links on an area of MN for charity or redistribution?

olderthanyouthink
Yes they have other places. But they are not secret places. The studio they used when broadcasting house couldn’t be used was on the South bank.
It’s a bbc building but well known.

Midwife here!

Two things come to mind, maybe not tricks of the trade, but hopefully interesting:

• As delivery suite midwives we do not simply catch a baby and get it to feed. We are actually highly skilled in critical care - managing patients who are suffering dangerously high blood pressure, massive post partum haemorrhages and those who are septic or otherwise unwell. We are trained to scrub in theatre as well as manage epidural and strong opiate pain relief. We are experts in resuscitating your baby if they need it, and ensuring they recover well afterwards. We suture your vagina, perineum and labia after delivery and much more - it’s so diverse (which is why I love it!).

When we care for women who have lost or are losing their babies we genuinely feel every ounce of distress with you. We think about you on our days off and will check in with you every once in a while.
If I’m looking after you and your angel baby I will treat your baby as if they are my own. If they are ever separated from you I will cuddle them, chat to them, tell them how much their mummy and daddy love them. No matter if they are 16 weeks or 40 weeks. I make sure they are cosily dressed and snuggled, have all their toys and won’t be alone. And I’ll never ever forget you or them.
If you come back to have your rainbow baby we will cry tears of joy and sadness with you and make sure your angel is remembered.