Letters
Making coffee has advantages
BMJ 2002; 325 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.325.7376.1364/b (Published 07 December 2002) Cite this as: BMJ 2002;325:1364
- John Addison, consultant radiologist (j.ea.addison{at}talk21.com)
EDITOR—Fox and Davies ask whether superstitious behaviour can reduce work stress.1 As a radiologist I find one of the most irritating and stressful things that can ruin an ultrasound list are long delays while waiting for “emergency” inpatients to come down from the wards. These delays are multifactorial, and common reasons range from porters not answering their bleeps to patients being washed.
The easiest way to speed up this process is to make a cup of coffee. The patient will inevitably arrive just as you take the first sip. This system has the added advantage of reducing your caffeine intake, thus avoiding the additional stress of sleepless nights.