Uniform

It has just occurred to me that in able to be able to find  a connection with any of my colleagues, especially those on a different level, like doctors, junior or consultant and  the domestics for example, the easiest way is to find a common enemy or foible, which normally in our work environment I am unwilling or unable to explore. For example, being catty about the bosses, or politics or having a lapse in professionalism or grace. I don't carry any of those off well.

In fact most of my interaction with doctors on my ward lends much to be desired on all accounts. As my ward has four specialities of its own and another two or three that often overlap, as opposed to most wards that will have about one or two teams of doctors wandering about to get to know, it is impossible to know who anyone is. That's putting the fact that the junior doctors rotate every few months or so aside. So normally when I brazenly approach these rushed-off-their-feet doctors with my radically short scarecrow fringe and boldly new stylish glasses with wide eyes behind them and a manic grin below them, and instead of asking them 'Hi, how's your day going? What are your thoughts on this new research? My name's ... by the way. What's yours? Who are you working under? That must be a really interesting experience for you. As you're here, could I have a quick chat about your patients? Yes. Over tea? Great!..', its more of a 'HI! What team are you?! Which one? Team A or Team B?' and in response getting a mumble as they walk away leaving me to decipher the syllables they left me with trying to figure out whether or not I should run after them to inevitably get them to prescribe laxatives for my patients, which is what I seem to spend most of my interactions with doctors doing. Why is everyone constipated? Of all the conversations to have with those poor guys, however important bowel movements may well be, constipated patients and their corresponding bed numbers isn't one of them! It's like bowel bingo. Movicol for 18 please. Bi Daily Senna for 24 please. Laxido for the whole last bay, thanks.

Anyway, back to the heading. My uniform! I was pretty chuffed to be able to get my uniform in time to wash it at home before having to wear it. It's always a bit too well pressed, out of the pack and I quite like my left-in-the-machine-for five-hours look before I hang it out to dry. No ironing needed, in my eyes, for a non-stop twelve hour power walk. It would be like ironing your gym outfit; no real point in it.

I'm not sure if the effect my new uniform has had is self inflicted or is externally provided. People seem to be more willing to introduce themselves (apart from the junior doctors, never the junior doctors) and ask me about me. I seem to have been a bit invisible for some people as a student. I think I moved too fast for them to catch a glimpse maybe. I do have a new found confidence in my new attire though. More willing to assert my position. No longer 'just a student nurse'. 'I'm a new nurse here.' I have found myself saying. Letting people know to be kind but that I am competent. 

I actually seem to have caught the attention of one of the not-so-old consultants not long ago! I caught him watching me, probably with confusion and difficulty, if I'm perfectly honest, a couple of times. The next day he approached me and introduces himself! The whole three months of me being a student on this same ward I have not seen him talk to anyone! He always seems to do his rounds solo and quietly gives instructions if the nurse is around him or quickly writing brief notes before taking his dark and mysteriously mute face off the ward without eye contact. So I introduced myself back in confused over enthusiasm which I think probably came across as a little unhinged. On my presentation of the 'I'm a new nurse here.' he responded with the 'I had guessed.' in his deep smooth and awkwardly privately educated tones and proceeded to ask some information about a new patient of his who had come in over night, which I thank the spiritual entity surrounding the seasons, that I knew about! We then shared a joke about the patients sexuality; highly inappropriate, but like I say above; making connections!! And neither of us had met the ambiguously named patient which is where the confusion had come from, nothing subjective, I assure you. I'm thinking about winking at him next time I see him just for a laugh. Who knows where it could take me! Hah. I wish I could be that audacious.

How clever of me to come round full circle like that. I might make it into the mainstream media yet. I would love to have any feedback or comments you have, by the by you keen readers. 
Thanks for stopping by.