THE HUMBLE SCISSORS
By Liz Hu
I rest in my allocated shelf
waiting in trepidation
Will I save a life today?
Eager hands grab at me
Take me outside of my cocooned
sleeves for the first time
Two loops
One cut
I fall into darkness,
clattering down the sharps bin
My purpose served
And now
To descend into the fiery pits
ON INSPIRATION
As a junior doctor that has just spent the last three months in the intensive care unit (ICU), where we care for the most critically unwell patients in the hospital, I have personally disposed of and witnessed the use of so many disposable medical devices. I wanted to highlight the story of the humble sterile scissors, a superhero in many environments; be it in the operating theatre, in the emergency department, or in the ICU. All unfortunately have to be disposed of, to be incinerated, after one use.
LIZ HU
Dr Liz Hu is a junior doctor who is passionate about environmental sustainability and quality improvement. She was also a gen 1 Wattle Fellow! If Liz isn’t at work tinkering at her sustainability projects, you’ll find her underwater marveling at the diverse marine life on Bunurong sea country.