February 13 2011 (Sunday) - Award Winning?

I found this link whilst browsing. It would seem some health service managers want to single out one or two members of the healthcare professions and give them awards for being wonderful.

Now I’m in no way disparaging the efforts of those who will be nominated, but I can’t help but wonder how what they do would be any different to what any other health care related workers do on a regular basis.

I myself received no thanks when I came home early from holiday (leaving family and friends behind) because there was no one else available to provide cover at work. On more than one occasion.

And I was hard at it (for an unbroken twenty four hours) on the day after my son was born when no one else was available to provide emergency cover.

Perhaps those who give out such awards are also blissfully ignorant that it was not until my daughter was eight years old that I was able to be present at one of her birthday parties: for seven years no one else was available to provide emergency cover on that one day in early June.

I’m not just blowing my own trumpet: I am in no way unique. I know of people who have worked every bank holiday of the last year.  I know people who’ve worked on the night of their wedding anniversaries. I know of one chap who actually worked on the morning of his own wedding day, such were the demands of the service (!)

I know of many people who have at various times abandoned their own commitments and tirelessly and cheerfully come into work, at sometimes only an hour’s notice. Most of my colleagues who currently do “out of hours” shifts rarely get a weekend free from work commitments.

And the same thing goes on in every hospital in the world. But now by singling out one or two people as being wonderful, I for one feel that I (and the vast majority of the health care professionals) am now seen to be second rate.

I suspect that should my superiors read this posting, then I would (again) be in hot water. But the fourth criteria I must satisfy when performing my CPD work is that “I must seek to ensure that my CPD benefits my service users (patients, medical staff, students).” And my service users will not benefit from demoralised professionals.

I am aware that one or two of my postings on this blog are being re-circulated on other pathology boards and forums. Perhaps those giving such awards might find this post. Perhaps I might ask if they would like to consider the effect of their awards on the morale of those of us who don’t make the grade?

Perhaps I’m missing the point of awards? Maybe I’d feel differently if I’d received one.

If nominated, I’d like to think that I’d turn it down….