I feel it’s about time to introduce myself.
Guy, 36 years old or so. Living in the western, costal part of Norway. Married and have childeren.
Used to be a computer guy, done a bit of programming.
Then at some point figured I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life working in front of a computer screen. So i decided to become a nurse instead. So I did. Today working as a specialist nurse in an acute psychiatry ward at the local hospital.
Got into flashlights after I more or less accidentally bought an Olight Warrior M21X at an online auction. Got it for a veery good price. I had never before held a good led light in my hands and was shocked by its brightness. After that I was sold. Two more Olights followed shortly, and several chargers, 18650 and various cheap china lights. I guess many, if not most of you, have been down a similar path at some point.
About one and a half year ago, one of our hospital patients disappeared. We did a search of the local aerea but were almost blind as bats in the dark. The hospital did only have old fashioned flashlights, even the flash on our phones were brighter. After a while the police and local red cross assisted us in the search party, and a chopper was called for.
At some point, I had my wife drive all my flashlights to the hospital. Both my fellow nurses, red cross personnel and police borrowed my lights. Even the police and red cross could not match the power of my relatively cheap china lights (and Olights). (Li-ion based lights are not common at all here. Most lights are alkaline driven).
Everyone happy. (Patient was found in good health).
Then, late last fall, same thing happens. This time a patient from the neighbor ward didn’t come back for two hours after taking his daily walk. New search party. This time too, it was dark outside. This time too, my wife came with all my lights. My lights aided very much in searching I am told. (I didn’t attend the searching, as I had administrative duties). Sadly, the patient was found a few meters out in the water. Dead. People searching for him without proper lighting had passed the place two times, but noone had seen him. With proper lighting they probably would have seen him. If it would have been soon enough to save him I do not know. But it could have been.
Sad story.
Anyway. I like my lights. And I love being able to put them to meaningful use.
The technical department has recently bought 6 lights. But I don’t know what they have bought since I was not consulted.
Our technical staff probably have little knowledge of what kind of lights are actually available, so I expect to be disappointed.
On the other hand, that will give me an excuse to bring my own again.
At least the ward will have fast access to near usable light will waiting for my suns to shine 8)
Welcome!
Acute psychiatry ward. :~ Interesting place to visit, I don’t know if I’d want to work there long term though.
The hospital really should have upgraded their lights after the first incident but now that a patient died while lost it will be interesting to see if the administration actually wakes up. Administration can be amazingly dim.
Welcome to BLF! Is it possible for you to stash a number of your own personal flights somewhere in the hospital? This way your wife don’t have to drive your lights to the hospital everytime!
I already stashed a light here. (writing from work. quiet day.)
Unfortunately it has disappeared, and nobody knows where it went…
Probably someone used it for something, and put it somewhere else in the hospital. Or stole it. Don’t know.
Actually brought my freshly modded SK98 type light today along with a couple of cheap batteries.
Don’t want to risk loosing more expensive Equipment.
Will try to label it with my name on it. So it doesn’t get accidentally be given to somebody else.
I did try to make the hospital buy flashlights after the first incident. Nope. Cutting costs. Budget. Right. Got it.
After incident number two, they bought six lights. Still don’t know what kind of lights. If I were to guess, they’ve maybe bought Led Lenser 350lm ones. Kind of curious. Will need to investiate.
If the one that went missing happened to be one with two cheap batteries,
you might want to look up the word “exploding” (search box, upper left of each page)
and post a warning from that so people keep an eye out for the missing light.
Two-cell lights have particular safety issues that put clueless people at some risk.
Welcome to the forum. Your calling inspired me to look up Fear of the dark, darkness. It had multiple listings:
Achluophobia
Lygophobia
Myctophobia
Nyctophobia
Nyctohylophobia
Scotophobia
Although I’m sure it can be a serious neurosis, omphalophobia still made me chuckle and mild plutophobia would come in handy here.
Luckily, it was a one cell light, reducing the risk.
Would note dare to leave a two or Three cell light for somebody else to play with. Especially not a cheap one or with cheap batteries.
You know, as a nurse I like to give health care, not health risk
The cell was a protected one, but I’ve never tested that the protection actually works.
Just hope nobody gets a nasty surprise.
I’ve already asked around. Noone seems to know where it went.
Anyway. I was just over at the techical department. Inspected their lights that were bought after search party number two.
As I suspected they are alkaline driven lights bought at the local hardware/eectronics shop.
Uses 3 C batteries.
On closer inspection the lights have XM-L emitters. A quick test down some pitch dark corridors in the hospital basement gave fair enough results. The product information paper states 500lm. After testing it, it might actually be true. No doubt it outshines my (rather dim) SK98.
Might actually do the basic job.
Could definitely have been worse.
As usual it takes a death before any action is taken. And when people do make a change it’s often because inaction would leave them open to lawsuits or bad press. It’s still the budget driving them, just now a lawsuit looks more costly than the needed change would cost.
It is so important to own a budget and bright flashlight!
I would recommend a cheap SK68 (AA batteries) or a budget C8 (18650), or a slightly floody Convoy S2/S3.
Well, for the ultimate portable searchlight, I came across the Firefoxes 4 FF4 (HID light, not budget at all) to have the best portability and power.
Also, thank you for providing healthcare services. I really really appreciate the doctors, nurses, and the administrative staff who work in the hospital.
Lol. Think I have about 15 or so sk68’s laying around. Also got a couple of C8’s, so that should be covered. Don’t think I have a Convoy S2 or S3 yet though… 0:)
Spent a lot of time climbing in Norway, I’ve have been to some wonderful spots for climbing… Rjukan, Hemsedal, Romsdal, Nissedal and of course climbing in the midnight sun in Lofoten.
The most enjoyable and rewarding job I have ever had is when I worked for the NHS (in the UK the National Health Service) I have now worked for a firm unrelated to health-care for a good few years. I would love to work for the NHS again, but I cannot afford to give up my job to re-train Well done malenurse, for doing what I cannot do at the moment!
Well done malenurse, for doing what I cannot do at the moment!