Work Against the Body

This Is Going to Hurt

This flow traces the escalating physical danger of fatigue, from routine sleep loss to errors that expose patients and staff to harm.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

Sleep Interrupted Sleep Interrupted from "This Is Going to Hurt". Sleep Interrupted A call at three Kay is called to the ward at three in the morning after closing his eyes for the first time in three shifts.

Sleep Interrupted from "This Is Going to Hurt". Sleep Interrupted A call at three Kay is called to the ward at three in the morning after closing his eyes for the first time in three shifts.

Sleep Interrupted A call at three Kay is called to the ward at three in the morning after closing his eyes for the first time in three shifts. The task is to give a sleeping pill to someone who has already fallen asleep. Exhaustion normalized The absurd call is funny, but it shows how medical work can interrupt even the minimal rest available to a junior doctor. Fatigue is present long before anyone treats it as a safety issue.

A Quiet but Unrelenting Night

A Quiet but Unrelenting Night Work exceeds capacity Kay is called to a new patient every five minutes, though each case requires at least fifteen minutes. Senior doctors are tied up, so he prioritizes the sickest and tries to explain delays. Endurance mistaken for success He runs through the night and everyone survives. A nurse praises him at the shift’s end, a rare recognition that can make unsafe overload feel like an individual test of character.

The Red Light The Red Light from "This Is Going to Hurt". The Red Light Driving after a night shift Police stop Kay for going through a red light after a thirteen-hour labour-ward shift.

The Red Light from "This Is Going to Hurt". The Red Light Driving after a night shift Police stop Kay for going through a red light after a thirteen-hour labour-ward shift.

The Red Light Driving after a night shift Police stop Kay for going through a red light after a thirteen-hour labour-ward shift. He has no memory of making the mistake. Fatigue meets punishment He receives a fine and points on his licence, while the deeper danger of exhaustion remains unaddressed. The incident makes the journey home part of the working risk.

Falling Asleep at the Wheel Falling Asleep at the Wheel from "This Is Going to Hurt". Falling Asleep at the Wheel A warning in traffic An old man taps on Kay’s car window at a red light because Kay has fallen asleep.

Falling Asleep at the Wheel from "This Is Going to Hurt". Falling Asleep at the Wheel A warning in traffic An old man taps on Kay’s car window at a red light because Kay has fallen asleep.

Falling Asleep at the Wheel A warning in traffic An old man taps on Kay’s car window at a red light because Kay has fallen asleep. Kay recognizes that he has also nearly dozed while waiting for a patient. Impaired judgment He struggles to write notes and compares his tiredness to being drunk, while knowing a drunk doctor would be sent home. The mismatch reveals how extreme fatigue has become accepted in the workplace.

The Cut to the Baby’s Cheek The Cut to the Baby’s Cheek from "This Is Going to Hurt". The Cut to the Baby’s Cheek A final emergency After a night without sitting down or closing his eyes, Kay performs an emergency caesarean.

The Cut to the Baby’s Cheek from "This Is Going to Hurt". The Cut to the Baby’s Cheek A final emergency After a night without sitting down or closing his eyes, Kay performs an emergency caesarean.

The Cut to the Baby’s Cheek A final emergency After a night without sitting down or closing his eyes, Kay performs an emergency caesarean. He later learns that his knife cut the baby’s cheek. A preventable danger The parents are understanding, but Kay sees how a deeper cut might have caused far greater harm. He files the required report and concludes that long hours endanger both staff and patients.

9 November 2004

29 July 2005

10 June 2008

5 June 2010

8 November 2010