In an #ADC_JC from the dawn of time we discussed a paper concerned with the outcome of retrievals of children with bilious vomiting. We spent a disproportionate amount of time discussing the meaning of the word bile. […]
Category: names
Naming culture
I’ve written lots here in the past about names – the issues of how we address each other, and how we permit patients and their families to address us. During the process of writing those posts I made some changes to how I thought, which altered some of my behaviours. I wanted to share here some other thoughts […]
Naming of Reviewers
Peer review has controversies. There are numerous criticisms, but when it comes down to it, to paraphrase Churchill on democracy, it’s the worst way of doing it, except for all the others. I don’t want to discuss the whole process of peer review here, except to state that when we publish something, because we’re not […]
What’s in a number? (Part 2)
A quick task. Grab a sheet of paper or open a blank screen on your computer. Write down: Your phone number Your partners or a family members phone number Your National Insurance Number The sort code from your primary bank account Your NHS Number How did you do? Were you able to remember them all? […]
What’s in a number?
Here’s a brief summary of a question put to me by Vin Diwakar, stimulated by the Children and Young People’s Health Outcomes Forum Summit 2014, and my response. Importantly, in the original discussion I made an error; the NHS number does in fact have a check number. For more info, and an explanation, read on. The […]
Time to rename the terrible twos?
There are many phrasings which make me wince. Some of them are obviously pedantry – I inherited a dislike of the phrase “septic screen” from Peter Daish, preferring the more correct “sepsis screen”. Folks who have worked with me could probably list another dozen easy ways to press my buttons. A more recent phrase which […]
What’s in a name, Part III
I’ve written previously about how doctors should refer to each other, and also about how patients and their families might refer to doctors. It reminded me that there are ways that people need doctors to be – to behave, dress, talk – in order to get the best out of a professional relationship. […]
What’s in a name Part II
Following my previous post on the use of first names, and entirely by coincidence, the folk over at St Emlyns blogged on a very similar subject, but extended the discussion a little to what your patients should call you. I pulled up short about in discussing this before and I’ve been wondering why since. How […]
What’s in a name?
Much of the time I’m called Ian, and at others I’m called Dr Wacogne. I do get called some other things, but I can’t write them here. We’ve just greeted a new group of foundation (intern) doctors, and I have, as ever, entirely befuddled on them by emphasising that I am Ian, at all times […]