Having finally completed the resus training that we started in June I thought it would be a good thing to give out the certificates of completion in the once weekly ‘family meeting’ as its called where the whole hospital meets in the chapel on a Tuesday morning for a short service and the usual announcements. I had designed it myself and was rather proud of it. Roy, the consultant anaesthetist said a wee schpeil about how hard everyone had worked and then read out the names and I gave out the certificates. They all did a good job of looking pleased but without exception frowned when they sat down. After chapel we all trundled back to theatre to start work for the day and a couple of them cornered me in the coffee room. “So, these aren’t the real certificates are they? You just did these paper ones in order to have something quickly for the chapel service, didn’t you? When will you do the laminated ones?”
Having given myself all of a second to feel deflated I made a quick recovery and said, of course, I just dont know where to get the laminated ones, I’ll get round to it.
Feeling a little jaded by that slap in the face, I was stopped about half an hour later by one of the lads who had come to Vic Falls. He had his own template of a certificate that he wanted me to design and have the hospital director and myself sign it and... you guessed it.... then laminate it.
I didn’t realise you get a certificate for anything here so you’ve got to make it special.
Come to think of it, I should have given my electrician a certificate.
