Little things that bring a smile to your face 4

[EvilBoris]

"to the stars" is such a broad term isn't it?

Keith Chegwin is a star!

[JazzFunk]

I wish lol. Hospital porter for the glorious NHS! 'Relief' porter, actually. But I don't give 'relief', if ya get me.

[Wools]

Good man! My wife is a Sister at a local hospital and the shift patterns is a killer.

I work Monday to Friday so the only time we get is weekends and it's frustrating when we want to go somewhere but her boss has put her on a nightmare pattern.

[JazzFunk]

You're right, hospital staff tend to get a certain *attitude* over time, a gentle, weary cynicism. Night shifts tend to make one go slightly mad if you've been doing them for years. I will not miss those shifts where they put me on a 2pm-10pm, drop me down to a 10am-6pm the next day, then straight down to 6am-2pms the next day for seven days in a row! Monday to Fridays now...and if I want overtime, it's in abundance.

[JazzFunk]

Best thing is not having to get up at 4am for earlies. Nowt more depressing. And dead at work. Everyone sitting around toast for a couple of hours 'cos no patients to move...I *hate* inactivity...I go and lift mattresses in the bed store lol!

[Dogg Thang]

Good man! My wife is a Sister at a local hospital and the shift patterns is a killer.

Is Sister a religious term? Genuine question. I have a couple of cousins who are nurses but I don't think I've ever heard them use the term sister but that's here in Ireland so maybe there are different terms? I know there are hospitals here with nuns working in them and they are sisters, which is why I ask.

[Wools]

Best thing is not having to get up at 4am for earlies. Nowt more depressing. And dead at work. Everyone sitting around toast for a couple of hours 'cos no patients to move...I *hate* inactivity...I go and lift mattresses in the bed store lol!

My only experience of that was when I was 20 and trying to get my foot in the door of the Videogame industry. I got my first contract gig at Lionhead working on Black & White 2. The work was brilliant but the shifts were ****.

If you worked early it was 8am-4pm which was terrible but you were always finished at 4pm as you were relieved by the night staff who worked 4pm-12am. Nights were always fun as the main staff finished around 6pm so it got more quiet and the atmosphere became more relaxed, you also got your dinner paid for so it was Dominoes every night! However, as no other team took over from you at 12am, that end time became a flexible goal so most nights, you finished when the early shift came in.

In many ways they were some of the most fun times I've ever had at work but also the most exhausting. I'll never do that again.

[Wools]

Is Sister a religious term? Genuine question. I have a couple of cousins who are nurses but I don't think I've ever heard them use the term sister but that's here in Ireland so maybe there are different terms? I know there are hospitals here with nuns working in them and they are sisters, which is why I ask.

I've had people look at me oddly when I mention she's a Sister here in the UK, no she's not at the local nunnery!

She's a Nurse but is operating on Band 6 which is a higher level Nurse, also known as a Sister. Above her is Band 7 which is essentially a manager and finally above her is Band 8 which is a Matron.

[Dogg Thang]

Ah okay. Might be the same here - it's possible I've just never noticed it. We definitely have Matrons.

[briareos_kerensky]

I've had people look at me oddly when I mention she's a Sister here in the UK, no she's not at the local nunnery!

Most people would use Sister as synonym for nun, if not everyone. My first reaction was to think of non Roman Catholic beliefs (clergy being married anf all, but then again I don't know if that applies to nuns as well), not that there were "ranks" for nurses.

[JazzFunk]

My only experience of that was when I was 20 and trying to get my foot in the door of the Videogame industry. I got my first contract gig at Lionhead working on Black & White 2. The work was brilliant but the shifts were ****.

If you worked early it was 8am-4pm which was terrible but you were always finished at 4pm as you were relieved by the night staff who worked 4pm-12am. Nights were always fun as the main staff finished around 6pm so it got more quiet and the atmosphere became more relaxed, you also got your dinner paid for so it was Dominoes every night! However, as no other team took over from you at 12am, that end time became a flexible goal so most nights, you finished when the early shift came in.

In many ways they were some of the most fun times I've ever had at work but also the most exhausting. I'll never do that again.

Great story! I bet you saw some interesting stuff. Did you ever meet the Molymeister? And you can't knock paid-for dinners...we used to get a free meal chitty if we did overtime but they knocked that on the head a few years back. Annoying, but when the canteen serves fish n' chips with the fish skins still on...!

I might miss the nights. But they *really* mess up the body clock. Normally because it's a skeleton crew of three or four, the time ticks away because you're always regularly busy and there's something mellow and interestingly spooky about the hospital at night. There've been a couple of occasions where I've been the only night porter in the entire hospital...mad! And A&E is more edgy at night...you never know what you're gonna get....and sometimes you get this vibe in your stomach that it's gonna kick off big style. Some hate it, I love it. And I can definitely tell you that when it's a full moon...things always get crazy. Not coincidence...it just happens...been doing this for the best part of a decade now, you just sense something in the atmos!

[gunrock]

I've heard from hospital staff before that full moons bring out the crazy in people and the hospitals are full of violent nut jobs and/or mum's in labour!

[Wools]

Great story! I bet you saw some interesting stuff. Did you ever meet the Molymeister? And you can't knock paid-for dinners...we used to get a free meal chitty if we did overtime but they knocked that on the head a few years back. Annoying, but when the canteen serves fish n' chips with the fish skins still on...!

I might miss the nights. But they *really* mess up the body clock. Normally because it's a skeleton crew of three or four, the time ticks away because you're always regularly busy and there's something mellow and interestingly spooky about the hospital at night. There've been a couple of occasions where I've been the only night porter in the entire hospital...mad! And A&E is more edgy at night...you never know what you're gonna get....and sometimes you get this vibe in your stomach that it's gonna kick off big style. Some hate it, I love it. And I can definitely tell you that when it's a full moon...things always get crazy. Not coincidence...it just happens...been doing this for the best part of a decade now, you just sense something in the atmos!

I must admit, I always liked working nights. Chiefly because it's a more chilled atmosphere with the whole office being empty, everyone is more friendly but that's countered by the perils of working late!

Yeah, I knew Molyneux a tiny bit as after my 6 month contract was up, I worked full time at Lionhead till 2012. I did not work with him day to day or anything like that as I worked as a Tools Tester then briefly as a Level Designer, so others had far more direct contact with him. I was just around him in company meetings or in the office from time to time.

I've got quite a few stories as I'm sure many other Developers at Lionhead have! As I'm now removed from the industry and Molyneux has long since left Lionhead, I have thought about writing a book or putting my memories of that time online but have not got round to it. Maybe when I'm a bit older and have thought of a compelling or funny way to do it, I might write something.

[Dogg Thang]

Do it!

[wakka]

Do it, that would be awesome.