A Thakless Job

"Give me" said Darren, pointing at the medicine cabinet. I could hear Darren sniffling and blowing constantly into a tissue, but he wasn't going to get any sympathy from me. In fact very very of the teenagers in the health center waiting room would get sympathy for me.

"Ah Darren, what's your problem?" I asked, my voice deceptively calm. "I'm sick. Just give me some medicine" he said again, completely oblivious. "I know you're sick, but there's something wrong with your eyesight. Didn't you see the twenty other children in the waiting room who got here before you" I said as I placed my hand on his shoulder and gently turned him back towards the waiting room.

"But I'm sick. It will only take a minute. You can't do this. I'm sick" protested Darren. "I know, but you're not the only one here Darren. You're blocked nose is not an emergency. You'll have to wait just like the others" I explained. Darren's face went red, but not with embarrassment. "My parents pay your wages" he exploded as he pulled out his cell phone and hit the redial button. Thirty second later and he thrusts the phone to me "My parents want to speak to you." I shook my head and walked away. "You'll have to wait your turn just like everyone else. I'm not talking to them right now."

Sure enough I received a scathing email about how terrible the health staff are, how we don't care for the kids, how their child has been suffering terribly for the last month. It's normal. I expect it. It's a shame when you learn to expect this sort of behavior.

Oh, and if you're thinking I brought this on myself by not speaking to the parents, trust me, if I'd got on the phone things would only have been worse. It seems no matter how kind, how reassuring, how professional I am, phone calls usually go awry.

Oh well, maybe I'll get a job in anaesthetics.

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Broken bones & Bullshit

The kids at our school are privaleged to live in a ski resort, and even more privaleged to get two half days a school week to ski. It's just a shame so many break their bones. Two broken wrists on the first day. Both kids were jumping. I keep telling them to take it easy, but they never listen. Even so, I still feel some sympahty for these victims of their own over-confidence.

But there is a group I don't have sympathy for. In fact there's a group of students that make me want to bring back corporal punishment (caning).

Bang, bang, thump, thump, slam. I looked over at Stacey, my fellow nurse, "Ah, do you want to get that" I tentatively offered.

"You got to be bloody joking, you go out there" Stacey replied.

"I'll go out there then, but it won't be pretty" I offered.

The problem was that the health center was besieged by a horde of teenagers claiming they were either too ill or injured to ski.

One look outside at picture perfect day, the brilliant blue sky and glistening snow covered peaks made me angry enough to open the door.

"Why's the door locked? I'm sick. I can't go skiing"
"My knee's playing up, I can't go skiing"
"My mum said I'm too sick to ski, so I'm not going"

I motioned everyone to quienten down while blocking the door and physically restraining kids who tried to push past. "We're closed. You had your chance to come to clinic this morning at breakfast clinic. If you don't to your activity, you'll be marked as absent. Goodbye."

I began to close the door but someone's foot was in the way. I looked up at the owner of the foot. "Ah, olga, you need to move your foot, it might get hurt" I said, the soul of innocence.

"It's your job to help me. You're the nurse. My parents pay for you to help me, so do your job. I'll call my dad. You don't want me to call my dad." It was interesting to note the change in Olga's tone from just plain obnoxious to sinister. Olga's parents are Russian and as far as I can tell they've never earned an honest rouble in their life. Mafia, Russian Mafia, that about sums up Olga's family.

I took a moment to gather my thoughts. Should I make her cry. Should I tear her to pieces in front of her friends. Nah, she's not worth it. I know how to make her more angry.

I forced the door shut, completely ignoring Olga.

I am a caring nurse, but I don't care for bullshit.

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