By Engin_Akyurton pixabay.com
It is day ... counts on fingers ... 7. It's day 7 and my shift today will be night shift number 5.
I've worked 54 hours so far, the last two night shifts have been from 5:15 pm to 3:15 pm, and it looks like the one today will be the same. Same on Saturday.
There are rumours that Sunday will be off, but my colleague who's been working for 20 consecutive days just scoffed. She looks like death, but needs the money, so she's pushing through. somehow.
My neck hurts, my shoulders hurt, my back hurts, my thumb hurts because of the repetitive movement of attaching labels, opening and closing tubes, and pipetting. I can now process 50-100 samples a day, depending on how they arrive at the lab. With about 20 people per shift doing the same, we might actually be hitting up to 4000 samples that are then sent to be tested.
But this is not sustainable. Many of my coworkers, myself included, still have college assignments and exams. Some are getting sick.
I'm not sure if I can actually commit to doing the full 6 weeks of my contract. I know that I will not extend my work agreement, and I'm not the only one.
They still haven't hired everyone they want to hire, but if they keep it up, they will lose people they've already trained. Not everyone, some need the money, some need this as a work placement, some work at this lab as regular employees and would give up their job for good if they left.
I know samples need to get tested, but ... burning through people is not the solution.
Some other fun things from the lab:
One of the fume hoods started smoking yesterday, we assume because it's been running for 20 hours. Humans complain, machines will set your shit on fire.
I love the samples that are inside a biohazard bag, with the paperwork in an extra pocket on the side. But more often, I get an opaque bag containing a plastic bag containing a plastic bag containing a plastic bag containing the tube, the paperwork, and ... an empty biohazard bag. The sample has leaked all over the place, I didn't pay attention and now need to deconaminate my whole workspace.
The concept of the face shield blocking soundwaves is lost to many of my coworkers, it's hard to understand them sometimes. On the bright side, I can sing to myself without anyone hearing. Problem is, after 5h I tend to run out of songs I know the lyrics to.
The cafeteria is open from 9am to 6pm. Fuck the night shift I guess.
The fingerprint sensor to clock in has been switched for a swipe card. Good thinking guys.
They wanted to move me to the testing part, but shifts are 8-16, 16-0, 0-8 on a weekly rotation. I only get through the current night shift on a prophylactic mix of ibuprofen and energy drinks, because I am prone to migraines. I can't do two weeks of night shifts. They decided to not put me on testing duty, and I'm a bit sad.
Real pain is when you're done taping your gloves to your sleeves (can't leave a gap), put on the plastic sleeves, double gloved, put on goggles and face shield, prepared your workspace, are ready to start ... and then have to pee.
If you ask people how long they've been working at the lab, they just stare at you. Nobody knows, you lose track after day 2.
The lab is a liminal space. No windows, always the same light, always 19°C. You know time is passing because the clock keeps going forward and somehow supplies are running low again.
Around 2 am yesterday, a coworker asked me if I'm okay. Apparently, I looked like I'm going to fall off my chair any second now.
Times are fun, stay at home folks.
I'm starting to regret having signed up for this.
And still I know, it's not as bad as it is for nurses and doctors at the moment.
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