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Authors: Elizabeth Houghton
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and hurried away to rearrange their day to suit the convenience of a Matron who came to breakfast. Elizabeth felt a trifle guilty as she allowed herself the full allotted half hour, but she didn ’ t want to upset too much sacred protocol on this her second day. Yesterday morning they had been blissfully unaware that a stranger was already in their midst.
Elizabeth went down the broad stairs towards the front hall where one of the daily women was bringing up a shine on the tiled floor. The cubbyhole behind the reception desk was empty, and no doubt there would be little business for the cl erk to deal with if she did come in before nine. The head porter was having a lengthy discussion with the operator on the switchboard and she heard their voices slide to a standstill as she went by: it didn ’ t take much imagination to know her arrival would soon be speeding around on the hospital grapevine. There was no sign of Margaret Smith in the little office next to hers and the letters hadn ’ t arrived. Elizabeth looked down at the folder she carried. At least she would have a chance to study its contents ... the homework she hadn ’ t had time for last night.
It was nine o ’ clock before she realized it. Margaret Smith appeared with an apologetic smile and with the post. Miss Selby knocked and came in to give a brief resume of the night report she had taken from Night Sister.
“Miss Selby, we will have to have a staff meeting with the Ward Sisters about the arrangements for the building program. Would Friday be suitable? If we leave it until then it will give you and me an opportunity to rough out the necessary changes in advance. Don ’ t you agree that if we move the Men ’ s Medical cases into the end ward of Men ’ s Surgical it will probably be the simplest solution?” Elizabeth watched opposition build up to breaking point.
“What about the old men on Men ’ s Medical, Miss Graham? They ’ ll only be a nuisance to everyone, and anyway there isn ’ t enough bed space,” she brought out with scarcely disguised triumph.
“We can bring those two nearly empty storerooms next to Sister Ross ’ s office into use ... one as a dormitory for the old men and the other as a day room for them. If they have their fire and their TV I don ’ t suppose they ’ ll object to the move. I noticed that those old armchairs only need a bit of webbing or other minor repair. The carpenter can do them, and perhaps the sewing room have some curtains that would make up into temporary covers.” Elizabeth could tell from the expression on Miss Selby ’ s face that the other was seeing all those possibilities with her eyes and inwardly wishing that she had thought of them first.
“Very well, Miss Graham. Builders never are convenient and I suppose we ’ ll have to put up with them if they do turn up this time ...”
Elizabeth tapped an open letter on her desk. “They will, Miss Selby. I ’ ve just had the confirmation from the hospital architect.”
“Will there be anything else, Miss Graham?” The older woman sat on the edge of her chair, not quite daring to stan d up to go until Elizabeth had signified her dismissal.
“Yes, thank you, for the moment. Oh, before you go, what are the catering arrangements here ? ”
Miss Selby looked puzzled. “Do you mean the kitchen? Sister Winsley keeps an eye on them and helps with the special diets. We ’ ve got a young cook and she seems very keen, although a bit on the fancy side sometimes, and she gets on well with the rest of the kitchen staff. She does the orders, but Sister Winsley checks them and signs them unless it ’ s something extra, and then it usually comes up to my office for a second signature.”
Elizabeth nodded in a carefully non-committal way. “Thank you, Miss Selby. I know you have your own work to get on with, so I ’ ll do the round on my own this morning.”
Miss Selby got to her feet and then hesitated. “I hope you don ’ t mind my mentioning
Elizabeth went down the broad stairs towards the front hall where one of the daily women was bringing up a shine on the tiled floor. The cubbyhole behind the reception desk was empty, and no doubt there would be little business for the cl erk to deal with if she did come in before nine. The head porter was having a lengthy discussion with the operator on the switchboard and she heard their voices slide to a standstill as she went by: it didn ’ t take much imagination to know her arrival would soon be speeding around on the hospital grapevine. There was no sign of Margaret Smith in the little office next to hers and the letters hadn ’ t arrived. Elizabeth looked down at the folder she carried. At least she would have a chance to study its contents ... the homework she hadn ’ t had time for last night.
It was nine o ’ clock before she realized it. Margaret Smith appeared with an apologetic smile and with the post. Miss Selby knocked and came in to give a brief resume of the night report she had taken from Night Sister.
“Miss Selby, we will have to have a staff meeting with the Ward Sisters about the arrangements for the building program. Would Friday be suitable? If we leave it until then it will give you and me an opportunity to rough out the necessary changes in advance. Don ’ t you agree that if we move the Men ’ s Medical cases into the end ward of Men ’ s Surgical it will probably be the simplest solution?” Elizabeth watched opposition build up to breaking point.
“What about the old men on Men ’ s Medical, Miss Graham? They ’ ll only be a nuisance to everyone, and anyway there isn ’ t enough bed space,” she brought out with scarcely disguised triumph.
“We can bring those two nearly empty storerooms next to Sister Ross ’ s office into use ... one as a dormitory for the old men and the other as a day room for them. If they have their fire and their TV I don ’ t suppose they ’ ll object to the move. I noticed that those old armchairs only need a bit of webbing or other minor repair. The carpenter can do them, and perhaps the sewing room have some curtains that would make up into temporary covers.” Elizabeth could tell from the expression on Miss Selby ’ s face that the other was seeing all those possibilities with her eyes and inwardly wishing that she had thought of them first.
“Very well, Miss Graham. Builders never are convenient and I suppose we ’ ll have to put up with them if they do turn up this time ...”
Elizabeth tapped an open letter on her desk. “They will, Miss Selby. I ’ ve just had the confirmation from the hospital architect.”
“Will there be anything else, Miss Graham?” The older woman sat on the edge of her chair, not quite daring to stan d up to go until Elizabeth had signified her dismissal.
“Yes, thank you, for the moment. Oh, before you go, what are the catering arrangements here ? ”
Miss Selby looked puzzled. “Do you mean the kitchen? Sister Winsley keeps an eye on them and helps with the special diets. We ’ ve got a young cook and she seems very keen, although a bit on the fancy side sometimes, and she gets on well with the rest of the kitchen staff. She does the orders, but Sister Winsley checks them and signs them unless it ’ s something extra, and then it usually comes up to my office for a second signature.”
Elizabeth nodded in a carefully non-committal way. “Thank you, Miss Selby. I know you have your own work to get on with, so I ’ ll do the round on my own this morning.”
Miss Selby got to her feet and then hesitated. “I hope you don ’ t mind my mentioning
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