Friday 3 February 2012

Elves

Elves. It must be elves.

We have ECG leads, blood pressure tubing, oxygen piping. We have an oxygen saturation monitor on an electrical lead, charging leads for the machines and a suction unit with a hose that works like a vacuum cleaner.

And no matter how tidy you leave them, no matter how neatly you put them away, no matter which bag, or holder, or drawer you put them in ready for next time, the elves always get in there.

Because the very next time you take out the leads to do an ECG, or whenever you take an oxygen mask out of the packaging, or if you need to check someone's blood pressure, it's all back in a tangled mess. Again.

I keep looking for those elves, but have never spotted them. Somehow, these stowaway menaces appear on every shift, on every vehicle, for every patient. The solution is simple, but probably years away.

Wireless everything - that'll fox the blighters.

Until then, the hunt for the tanglers goes on.

13 comments:

JR said...

Oh dear, I hope the elves are bare below the elbow and have appropriate disclosure!

Apparently some scientists got bored (and/or drunk) and did some mathematical modelling to prove that, no matter how tidy cables, tubes, etc are left; they will ALWAYS end up tangled when they are next used.

JR

Michael Morse said...

Darn elves are everywhere!

fakingpatience said...

I dont know about where you are, but if we got wireless equiptment here our elves would find a new purpose; walking off with each essential piece of equiptment right when we need it

MSgt B said...

Most likely related to the elves that live in the magic black box that makes my computer work.

Sometimes I swear they're out to get me...

Bobbi said...

I think the elves must be related to the borrowers.

Justin said...

I call the elves colleagues...

Anonymous said...

No. It's not elves. It's the new feature that has been added to a whole range of equipment. You've just got 'Autotangle' enabled.

Anonymous said...

My elf has a name........but shall remain nameless. Unless of course you ask me when you see me ;)
S

Dan said...

Same elves that live under computer desks and behind TV/Stereo systems. Doesn't matter HOW neat you are, how tidy the wires are, within a few days, they're all tangled and knotted without even being used!

Eileen said...

Not elves - chaos theory I believe! Not that I was ever very good at physics...

Isla said...

I love this cartoon it always makes me smile as my business is called Wireless PA. Santa's elves have to have a job apart from at Xmas!.

rob said...

The elves are the guys on shift before me - every time.

Vicki said...

Tangle fairies exist up in Manchester, not elves!