Life On The Wards

In 1998 I took a big decision to try for a position for a health care assistant at the hospital I had been at for many years in the catering department. I had always nursed a secret dream of being a “nurse”….so I was approaching age 49 and thought If I don’t do it now I never will…..so I took the plunge and asked someone who I knew was in a position to interview for positions on the ward if there were any vacancies.

I had the interview and was accepted on Tilford Ward which at that time was the Care of the elderly ward. My first day I was so nervous…I was on the early shift 7.30 till 3 or 3.30. I was assigned to a lovely woman called June…..who I shadowed. We were taught “on the job” so to speak….so the day was spent helping June wash, feed and toilet patients. The afternoon I was showed how to take temperatures and blood pressures.

The next way another early was Junes day off so I was assigned to Gary and we went to attend to the washes etc in the men’s room. I can still remember the names and the patients in that room. We gave out bowls of water to the patients that were able to wash themselves waist up. All went well until Gary told me to go and help the guy in the first bed to was his back for him and to wash  “down below”.I stopped in my tracks….the only other male I had seen naked was my hubby and here I was being told to wash this mans private parts and I had only met him when I gave him a bowl of water approx 10 mins earlier…….so with gritted teeth to hide how nervous I was, I managed. It was a job I had to learn and stop my shyness.

So I soon learned to care for these people who need help in their personal needs and had many sad and happy memories of those years I worked in that ward. I went on and gained my NVQ Levels 2 and 3 in care which I could have gone to university to train to be a trained nurse but I chose not to.

I have never forgotten the first patient I knew had died and sister who helped me prepare him to be taken downstairs to the chapel of rest. I have never forgotten sitting with a guy who we had nursed for a while and knew him. Sitting holding his hand so he wouldn’t die alone…the same guy who had with me and a colleague had pulled crackers with a few weeks earlier and he had burst into tears telling us….” thank you nurses…. it had been a long time since someone pulled a cracker with me”These are the memories I will never forget.

Christmas day on the wards when the Salvation Army used to come to play carols……one particular year skidding across the floor in the middle of the hurrying to answer the bell.When the guys from the fire station came to visit the wards. Women no matter what their ages are ….their hearts will still flutter at the sight of a handsome man in a uniform.

I remember two really handsome doctors with what only be described as having”film star looks” and the elderly lady’s flirting with them.

Amidst all the life and death situation behind scenes, we also had a few laughs. All of us hiding in the linen cupboard until about 8 of us were there and sister wondering where we all were. Fun when a few of us were in the sluice washing commodes……you had to be there.

Showing off my tattoo to even the doctors who wanted to see it so into the clean utility room and I would pull down decently the top of my uniform so they would see it…..and the usual question…” does it hurt?”

I remember the friends I made…..some who I still see and are on my Facebook page, people who I will never see again but I will never forget. I just wish I had gone into nursing earlier.

I feel it was good when to spend the last part of my working life.