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Authors: Ava Mallory
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just as charming as it had been when she and I first met. Exasperated, she added, “Look, I got called in to work last night and I can't tell you how grouchy I get when I haven't slept. Now, will you hurry up and get into the office for report, so I can go home?”
Nubbin started laughing heartily, amused by our not-so-friendly exchange. “Watch out, you'll end up leaving in a body bag just like Rowdy if you don't start playing nice.” He teased.
Kathy scoffed and marched off heading for the office. I took a moment to calm my nerves before I said something that would surely get me fired.
“I'll see you in a little bit, Nubbin.” I followed Kathy into the office, unsure whether to be relieved that she wouldn't be training me today or worried that I'd been reassigned because of what had happened. Either way, things weren't looking good for me again. I hoped this wasn't going to become a new custom for me.
Kathy didn't even give me a moment to settle before she started rattling off doctor's orders and a list of tasks that needed to be completed.
I stopped her. “Wait, am I alone today? No one is training me?” It was only her and I in the office and as far as I knew there weren't any other nurses nearby.
She rolled her eyes, becoming increasingly annoyed by the second. “You're alone today. I don't know where you're from, but did you see all that snow outside? That's not a dusting. That's what you call a blizzard. This is farm country. Roads don't get plowed like they do in big cities. People can't get out of their driveways, so you are flying solo.”
“Okay, but I haven't met all of the residents yet and I don't know their schedules. Do you have a list of daily duties?” Normally, I wouldn't be at all uncomfortable being left on my own, but given the circumstances, I wasn't exactly feeling all that confident that I would be allowed to do my job without being overly scrutinized at every turn.
Kathy sighed, before getting up to yell out the door. “Tina, Sarah, someone get in here!”
Now, I was the one becoming annoyed. “Why are you calling them in here? What's wrong?”
Tina rushed into the office, believing something was wrong. When she saw me, a look of confusion washed over her face, but she managed to offer me a kind smile.
Kathy spoke about me as if I wasn't there. That seemed to be just the way she chose to operate. “Can you keep an eye on this one? She's going to be in charge today and doesn't know what to do.”
That was it. I'd had enough. It was time to nip this in the bud and do it now. “I don't need a babysitter. I've been a nurse – a good nurse – for longer than Tina has been alive. I can handle the job just fine. My concern was that since I've not been officially trained or introduced to all of the residents that I may need someone to make the introductions. Is that a problem?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tina laugh, but I didn't say what I said to make anyone laugh. I was just trying to get my point across.
Kathy took a few minutes to glare at me as I sat trying my hardest not to be intimidated by her bullying behavior. Tina shuffled from foot to foot, waiting for Kathy to dismiss her.
The way things operated around here were beyond comprehension and I had no intention of allowing myself to be sucked into any of it. I didn't know how I was going to keep the negativity at bay, but if I intended to live in the not-so-glamorous lifestyle I'd become accustomed to living in, I was going to need to do something to maintain my sanity.
I decided it was high time I cut sweet Tina loose before she became just as jaded as her superior. “I'm fine, Tina. I'll call you if I need you.” I offered her a reassuring smile, watching Kathy's reaction in my periphery. By all accounts, she wasn't at all pleased, but was probably too tired to want to do anything about it.
*
Nubbin's yelling
Nubbin started laughing heartily, amused by our not-so-friendly exchange. “Watch out, you'll end up leaving in a body bag just like Rowdy if you don't start playing nice.” He teased.
Kathy scoffed and marched off heading for the office. I took a moment to calm my nerves before I said something that would surely get me fired.
“I'll see you in a little bit, Nubbin.” I followed Kathy into the office, unsure whether to be relieved that she wouldn't be training me today or worried that I'd been reassigned because of what had happened. Either way, things weren't looking good for me again. I hoped this wasn't going to become a new custom for me.
Kathy didn't even give me a moment to settle before she started rattling off doctor's orders and a list of tasks that needed to be completed.
I stopped her. “Wait, am I alone today? No one is training me?” It was only her and I in the office and as far as I knew there weren't any other nurses nearby.
She rolled her eyes, becoming increasingly annoyed by the second. “You're alone today. I don't know where you're from, but did you see all that snow outside? That's not a dusting. That's what you call a blizzard. This is farm country. Roads don't get plowed like they do in big cities. People can't get out of their driveways, so you are flying solo.”
“Okay, but I haven't met all of the residents yet and I don't know their schedules. Do you have a list of daily duties?” Normally, I wouldn't be at all uncomfortable being left on my own, but given the circumstances, I wasn't exactly feeling all that confident that I would be allowed to do my job without being overly scrutinized at every turn.
Kathy sighed, before getting up to yell out the door. “Tina, Sarah, someone get in here!”
Now, I was the one becoming annoyed. “Why are you calling them in here? What's wrong?”
Tina rushed into the office, believing something was wrong. When she saw me, a look of confusion washed over her face, but she managed to offer me a kind smile.
Kathy spoke about me as if I wasn't there. That seemed to be just the way she chose to operate. “Can you keep an eye on this one? She's going to be in charge today and doesn't know what to do.”
That was it. I'd had enough. It was time to nip this in the bud and do it now. “I don't need a babysitter. I've been a nurse – a good nurse – for longer than Tina has been alive. I can handle the job just fine. My concern was that since I've not been officially trained or introduced to all of the residents that I may need someone to make the introductions. Is that a problem?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tina laugh, but I didn't say what I said to make anyone laugh. I was just trying to get my point across.
Kathy took a few minutes to glare at me as I sat trying my hardest not to be intimidated by her bullying behavior. Tina shuffled from foot to foot, waiting for Kathy to dismiss her.
The way things operated around here were beyond comprehension and I had no intention of allowing myself to be sucked into any of it. I didn't know how I was going to keep the negativity at bay, but if I intended to live in the not-so-glamorous lifestyle I'd become accustomed to living in, I was going to need to do something to maintain my sanity.
I decided it was high time I cut sweet Tina loose before she became just as jaded as her superior. “I'm fine, Tina. I'll call you if I need you.” I offered her a reassuring smile, watching Kathy's reaction in my periphery. By all accounts, she wasn't at all pleased, but was probably too tired to want to do anything about it.
*
Nubbin's yelling
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