Part two - Pre-training

You're probably wondering what all that had to do with dying??? and to be honest, it has nothing to do with dying, I'm just building up to it... I might not go there, as there's a stigma about talking about dying. We don't want to be reminded that we can die. The next thing tale is a little bit morbid but I still see the funny side to it.

I was on a ward and I'd gone with the same routine, admitting a patient. My mentor, a male nurse, was shit hot on things and I'd got quite a bit of praise, in my communication skills. As we walked away from the patient, I asked him "what should do now". He told me to return to the patient and "ask her if she needs anything". I went back and she told me she'd forgotten her "nightie".

I went to ask a nurse were the spare nighties were kept, and she told me "at the end of the ward, 3rd cupboard down", so off I went. I got to the end of the ward and there was 6 cupboards (3X3). I counted three cupboards down and sure enough, there was the frilly nighties. I did a guesstimate (I honestly don't believe that's a word) and took the lady two night gowns. She was thrilled by the nighty and after I returned the nighty it was time for me to go home.

I came onto the ward the next day, and my mentor burst into laughter. After checking there was no breakfast stuck to my face, I asked "what was funny?" and he told me that "the whole staff would like me to return to the ward, if and when I qualify", because they'd never had such a laugh. Even one of the surgeons thought it was funny. It seems that the night gown I'd bought up was something they'd dress a body in when the took it to the morgue. The surgeon thought it was a comment on his surgical skills. I did think it a little strange that the nighty had a crucifix embroided to it.