I peered over the top of my glasses which had slipped down my nose. This was the girl’s first shift in ICU and she was on placement here for experience before being deployed. It was a way of sorting out the nurses who were capable of facing the extreme injuries caused on the battlefield, from those who couldn’t.
She was obviously trying to find out more information on what I’d written about the Lieutenant a few hours ago, in the early hours of the morning, when the soldier had first been brought in. Medevac transport had brought him in from a field hospital in Iraq. They hadn’t wasted time, knowing it was a matter of urgency that he received expert care. The young man had a long road ahead of him and extensive rehab would be needed to get him physically back to normal. Mentally was a different matter altogether. For now, the next 24-48 hours were crucial. If he could survive that long, he might have a chance.
I watched the young nurse, concerned that she wasn’t ready for the emergencies she would find herself dealing with. Not if she had to refer to an iPad about conditions.
I suspected she was dreadfully inexperienced at this point in time, but the army was desperate. Nurses burnt out pretty fast on the battlefield, as did doctors.
I stood and crossed to where she was standing, continuing to study the iPad. “Are you okay? Do you need help with this patient’s care?”
She gave me a blank look.
“Come through to my office.”
I led her to the small office off the nurses’ station and closed the door. We both took a seat.
“How long have you been nursing?”
“I graduated three months ago and decided to join the army. I wanted to help out in war zones.”
Yep, brand new as I suspected.
“You really don’t have the knowledge or experience to be taking on such critical patients if you need to refer to your iPad. You need to spend time in a general ward of a hospital. Study people - how they respond, react. Learn to understand what their bodies are telling you because they won’t always be able or willing to tell you. Remember, in Iraq, or any other war zone, there won’t be iPads to help you. To give you all the answers. You need the experience so you can react on instinct and not second guess yourself. Taking time to research something or make a decision, will cost lives. I know you mean well, but you’re not ready. I’ll speak with your commander this morning and ask her to relocate you to where you can gain the experience to become confident in your ability.”
“No, I want to help. I’m a good nurse and I can learn here.”
“Not if you’re permanently glued to a damn iPad. If you need guidance, you should be going to one of the senior nurses, not a computer program.”
She continued glancing at the tablet in her hands. “Put that damn thing down.”
Trying to help her was painful when it seemed she was choosing to ignore me. She peered at me with a deer caught in headlights expression. The girl was impeccably dressed and not a hair was out of place, though I suspected if she’d added much more starch to her army issued uniform, it would have stood upright on its own.
“Put the iPad down and come with me.” I hated those damn machines and I was positive if I took the time to check, I would find social media sites were being frequented when they shouldn’t be. These days, status updates seemed to be more important than actual patients.
“I need time, it’s only my first day here, but I can learn.” Her eyes wandered around the unit which annoyed me, I detested lack of eye contact when I was speaking.
“I understand that, but you can’t be left unsupervised with critically patients. If the army is prepared to supply a senior to work alongside you, I will reassess my stance on the matter.” I sounded snappy, I was rather annoyed with her lack of respect towards a unit manager.
“In class we were allowed to refer to our tablets whenever we wanted to.”
“This isn't class, sweetheart, this is real life where patient’s lives are in danger and one mistake can kill them. This man probably has a family who loves him and we need to provide him the care he needs to go home to them.”
I watched her bite her lip nervously.
“Are you permanent day shift? Who are you mentored to?”
“No, I have a one-week orientation and then I commence night shift. My mentor is Nurse Reynolds. The other nurses say she's a bitch and to beware, so I’m not looking forward to meeting her.”
I closed my eyes momentarily, remembering I’d removed my name badge before handover and this girl wouldn’t know who I was. I tried not to let what she’d said, rattle me. I was well aware of the gossip, how the nurses felt because I held those under my supervision to a high standard. Nevertheless, it still hurt.
“Really?” I squared my shoulders.
“Yes.” The young nurse glanced around and towards the door as if the woman from hell, she was talking about, would appear at any time.
She didn’t realise, I was standing in front of her.
“So, what have you been told?”
“I was told her husband abuses her, he’s a drunk, was sent home from Iraq and given a dishonorable discharge.”
