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Switched on

Balakrishnan R Nair
Med J Aust 2009; 191 (11): . || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2009.tb03387.x
Published online: 7 December 2009

If you want a challenge, and need a laugh, try a day as a hospital switchboard operator!

The telephone switchboard is the nerve centre of the hospital, and the people working there are our unsung heroes. In my hospital, they handle at least 6000 calls a day, which is around 250 calls an hour. They work under extreme pressure, fielding questions and demands that range from the routine to the rude or the ridiculous. A sense of humour is an essential requirement to work there.


  • Centre for Medical Professional Development, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW.


Correspondence: kichu.nair@newcastle.edu.au

Acknowledgements: 

My thanks and regards to the clever people at the switchboard.

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