This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor

Working on the wards as an auxiliary all through Uni as well as a being a Student Nurse, and then qualifying as a Staff Nurse I have a complete understanding for not just the funny stories, but sadly the down sides of what our junior doctors have to endure.I have been the impatient Nurse paging an already overstretched junior doctor to come and review a patient, prescribe more pain relief or fluids, check Gent or Vanc levels or write a discharge letter (as the patient is standing in front of me dressed, holding their packed belongings with their angry relative who has come to collect them...because the Consultant told them 7 hours ago on the ward round they could go home after dinner).I have taken junior doctors a cup of tea, a biscuit and a “patients sandwich” from the ward fridge because it’s 6pm and they haven’t eaten or drank anything since before their shift started 9 hours ago.I have been there on a ward round when they have been belittled by a Consultant in front of their colleagues and the patient for not ordering a test the day before, or because they didn’t give an answer to a seemingly straightforward question and have been met with raised eyebrows and “did you graduate from medical school Dr?” from said Consultant.I have also been the nurse on Nightshift when things have been the “Q” word, turning a blind eye as a junior doctor sneaks into the Day unit next door for some shut eye because they are exhausted on their 5th night. Or sitting at the Nurses Station swapping comical stories about patients, because sometimes you need that shared humour to get you through to the end of your shift.I left the wards for a less stressful stint in Occupational Health after 6 years of working rotational shifts, which I appreciate on the grand scale of things is not that long at all. However, for my own sanity I felt I had no choice. I was burnt out, stressed, irritable, permanently exhausted through crazy shift patterns (3 nights, a sleep day then a day shift, off for two then back in for 3 days?) sick of constantly being short staffed, being left unsupported (especially on nights) and having to make decisions above my pay grade then being chastised for it in the morning by Sister, missing countless social and family gatherings because of “being on shift”, my husband and I were on the road to starting IVF treatment after unsuccessfully trying for a baby for nearly 3 years....the list goes on.The NHS relies on the goodwill of its staff working past their time, (usually writing up notes or Incident forms that you haven’t had time to do during your shift), or swapping their shift due to staff shortages at the last minute, relies on them building their own support network instead of giving them the right support to deal with traumatic events that are all too common in the job (but no amount of training will ever prepare you for), working through their breaks “because the ward is too busy”....etc, etcThe pressures of the job are increased ten fold by the pressures of management, audits, paperwork (sometimes its like paperwork for the sake of paperwork) which is generated by our unrealistic government. And also not forgetting the negative attention the media places on the situation giving some patients/relatives the idea that your fair game in questioning your abilities and informing you the papers said this or that so it must be true...it’s sad to think that this wonderful system that was once the envy of the world has been brought to its knees, leading valuable and extremely competent staff to leave the profession in their droves.

I didn’t like this book. I’d say that right from the start Adam clearly wasn’t cut out for doctoring. He didn’t seem to enjoy his job from the start. It was moan, moan, moan. Not well enough paid, no time off, working until the job he has started was finished etc. He should have done more research before he went to medical school.I completely understand about black humour in times of stress and it is a stressful job but all of what he lists as ‘anecdotes’ were human beings and even if they did some weird things and weren’t too bright - they still didn’t deserve to be the butt if his jokes and used to earn him a penny or two when he gave up doctoring.I’m not even sure that he liked his patients and I think it’s probably just as well he has left the profession. I finished the book but I wouldn’t recommend it and I’m not sure how it gets all the good reviews - well I am, he no doubt has a very good agent and publicity machine.

I worked as a nurse and student midwife in the seventies. I have witnessed many things both incredibly happy and devastating sad. But with the black humour and support of colleges we coped. The situation is now desperately and in many cases life-threatening deplorable. I loved this book and would highly recommended that all ministers as well as managers of hospital trusts read it and ask themselves why it is allowed to get worse . To Adam kay, I think you are a remarkable person your book was an amazing read

I bought this book (Kindle edition) because of Kindle pop up adds which held snatches of rave reviews from people I have actually heard of. The reviews assured me it was laugh out loud funny and after my last disappointing and somewhat heavy read it was just what the doctor ordered (you see what I did there). Only I did not find it funny at all. I found it cynical, occasionally bordering on misogynist in his horrible descriptions of women and their bodily parts when they are at their most vulnerable (gynae detail in the book but perhaps not for a review but describing a womans vagina as a 'tw*t' is one such example). I think possibly the author was going for wry and dry humour but to me it came across as toxic and unpleasantly brutal at times. The books was repetitive and the initial faintly amusing anecdotes paled after a relatively short number of pages. I did however read it all and in the interests of full disclosure laughed out loud once. Just the once when he was describing two unfortunate names given to new babies but that was it. The book is not without merit - it does describe working conditions for junior doctors in such a way as to be a call to arms for those of us keen to protect our NHS - as indeed the author is and his stories are compelling: the NHS is at risk, worth saving and possibly even dangerous for patients in running on a threadbare empty purse. I hope the book at least draws attention to that aspect of the authors writing but laugh out loud funny it is not.

As a doctor myself, I found Adam's book honest and endearing, but above all very funny. He uses humour throughout to tell us of his experiences, both good and grim and how to came out the other side and ultimately left the profession. Definitely one of those 'un-put-downables.' I had the whole book finished within a day. This got a few laughs from me, well done Adam for producing such a great book!

I’m so sorry but I really didn’t like this book, I’m clearly in the minority. I smiled twice reading it. No hilarious laughter or tears streaming down my face. I find it difficult to believe he wrote a diary after the hours he worked. The author came across as arrogant and heartless at times, couldn’t take to him or the book. Sorry !

Well written; the author has a wry sense of humor and brilliant turn of phrase. This book demonstrates how frustrating life can become for those overworked medics who keep our regularly-abused Health Service ticking over. I can quite understand why enough was finally enough for this particular doctor, and wish him well in his new career..