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long time. Not once did I hear them say something wasn't their job, or
complain about working past breaks or the end of their shift. If yours
was the last room going, they often dropped by to help you finish up.
No one played the blame game when a case wasn't properly prepared.
That kind of teamwork makes you even more willing to support the
team, and I felt richer for the experience. I hope that management
realizes the value of these evening stars.
• Black sheep of the family. When I set out for California back in June, I
didn't know what to expect. What kind of weather would the next few
months bring? Did I pack the right clothes? How do they treat rent-anurses there? Generally I can tell within a week of arrival if I'm going
to like an assignment at a new place. It's only a temporary contract, 13
weeks at a time, but there's a lot to be said for a good relationship
with co-workers, wherever you are.
As it turns out, they treated me like family. Like a long-lost relative, at
least, an eccentric aunt from a distant branch with a southern accent
who peppered her speech with colorful sayings. You can't fool everyone,
though, and children are especially sharp at seeing through to the truth.
On my last night at the hospital, I brought a patient to recovery and
went to the nurses' desk to give my report. There was a little girl sitting there, next to the surgeon I'd just worked with. I think she was a
co-worker's daughter. Before I collected my things and headed back
to the OR, I said, "My, aren't you a cute little girl!"
She looked back at me for a moment. Then she said, "You're scary."
What could I say? I looked back at her and replied, "Yes, darling, I
am. And don't you ever forget it." I thought the surgeon was going to
fall out of his chair laughing. OSM
Ms. Watkins can be reached at pwatkins12@comcast.net.
