Top priority "Can't print"
I worked helpdesk at a teaching hospital that was part of the state university system. This had all the politics, egos, and other nonsense you might imagine.
One day, I was told to drop everything and fix a printer problem. What's the problem? "Don't know, such-and-such unit just called. They can't print." I replied that Intake nurse's station was down in the ER. A printer is not life and death. I'll get to it. "No. Go there now and fix the printer immediately." So, I went.
"A printer is not life and death."
At the Transplant unit, they explained that organ transports require a document from the hospital, on controlled letterhead (not to leave this room.) And the flight out to pick up the organ was leaving soon.
I ran down the hall and grabbed the first LaserJet that I saw. Yelled "Sorry, back soon" over my shoulder as I yanked the cords and barged out the door. They printed that document, then I had time to troubleshoot the original problem and return the stolen goods.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
