Late learning

Lessons learned in tonight’s A&E shift:

- If you have kids, always keep washing up tabs further out of reach than you think...especially the colourful ones that look appetising to small children

- Throw away every hip examination you’ve seen in a textbook. The best way to see if a toddler’s hip is OK is to blow some bubbles (if they can chase after bubbles, their hip is OK)

- If we really believe good news is true, we will be delighted to be able to share it. Sat with a Mum and Dad whose baby had been having a seizure for an hour and 45 minutes. At one point Mum turned to me and asked, “Is she going to die?” Who would not want in that moment to be able to reassure her, give her good news, tell her that her child would be OK? But the only honest answer I could give was that I didn’t know. Then later to see her told by the consultant that her daughter would be OK, that the same thing had happened to his own son (who is now a healthy grown man); to see the relief flood into her face and through her shaking body...how wonderful a sight.