Why I want to give up nursing, Part II

"I'm not going anywhere near someone with swine flu" said a teacher at the back of the room.
"Me neither. I'm a teacher, not a nurse. That's your job" said another.

"Well, we're a boading school. If we get a lot of people with the flu, we're going to need help. Two nurses can't look after everyone."

"I never signed up for this" said the first voice. The voice belonged to Jason, one of the few 'old hands' at our school. "It's not in my contract" he added. The seventy odd teachers assembled there muttered their agreement.

"I'm not asking you all to do medical things. We need help getting them meals. Dropping off medicines. Helping arrange rooms to isolate new cases. We may ask you to check the odd temperature here or there, but we can't do it all."

"I'm not going anywhere near anyone" said Marie, the head of the english department. "Like Jason said, it's not in my contract. It's your job. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is." All heads were nodding in agreement.

'Well, it's not in my contract to look after staff' I felt like saying. 'I don't have to take you to appointments, or arrange appointments. I don't have to give you advice. I don't have to see your children. I don't have to tell you how to deal with that STD. I don't have to do any of the things I am happy to do whenever you come and see me.'

I didn't say this. I tried to be diplomatic. I failed.

In the corridor after the meeting.

"I'm not a nurse. They need to do their job."
"If they don't like it, change jobs."
"They never come and see the kids when we call them. What do they do all day?"

I wasn't supposed to hear this. But I did.

It's not the first time.