A common theme in the regional reports this month has been the springing of spring. Whilst the markets bear witness to the arrival of the new seasons produce, the weathermen don't seem to have gotten the message just yet, at least here in the West. Winter still has a sting in her tail as we move towards Spring.
Spring is the time of renewal with the dormancy of winter being replaced by new growth. In our own professional lives it is the time we need to be getting pen to paper - or finger to keyboard, as the case may be - in developing abstracts for the meetings over the summer. There are also awards and grants to apply for. The hard work of data collection over the winter period should now be showing signs of bearing fruit - well, blossom at least.
As we battle the fact that every request for tests now seems to be urgent, driven not by clinical acuity, but by the need to release a bed for the next in the queue, it is becoming increasingly difficult to cultivate and nurture the science, the sense of enquiry, so central to our profession. The opportunities for research and other interesting activities are fast disappearing. Bean counters would rather we simply pressed buttons and asked no questions. This, it seems, is the modern equivalent of quality.
Oh well, we remain patient focussed, at least this month. Who knows what next month will hold. Hopefully spring will triumph and there will be renewal this year, but I fear the breath-hold time may be a tad long.
'til next month,
K
September, 2009
kevin.gain@health.wa.gov.au
