A Nurses Shift


The nurse paused for a moment,
Stretched out her aching back.
Its coming to the end of her shift,
And she's realigning her spine,
After that last patient lift.
Geeze ... he was a lump,
She thinks to herself.
She still has trouble fathoming,
Those who don't want to help themselves.
Its a concept alien to her,
One on which she doesn't often dwell.

Back to reality - quick sharp!
What needs to be done now?
Oops ... there's a bell ringing in room two.

The room is dark, quiet,
The glowing bell light ,
Shows where the need is.
The little old lady on the far right,
Needs her bed adjusted.
Nice and always so polite,
Yet its the fifteenth time she's rung the bell tonight.
With a smile on her face,
She bids her goodnight,
Whilst tucking an errant hair back into place.

Turns around, walks back into the light,
Does the last tidy up jobs for the night.
Finally gets to sit down to write her patient reports,
A rare moment of peace ... of sorts.

The phone rings,
Loud, intrusive, demanding attention !
Please, please she thinks ... 
Don't let it be another admission.
Luck is with her again,
It was one of the other wards,
Wanting to know if they had a particular drug in store.
That particular matter dispatched off with an orderly, 
She rested back wearily.
Looked up at the clock,
 Sheesh only 10 minutes more, 
And the night shift will be on the floor.


Write quickly Gal !
Years of practice kick in,
The events of the afternoon,
Sifted through patient by patient.

Ok ... here they come,
The night shift drift in one by one.
Not long now ...
On the home stretch.

Finish things off while others take their turn to handover,
A detailed oratory of the clients and their day is imparted.
Home time, almost started !
She always tries her best for the people in her care,
Lets them know that's why she's there.
Glad that everyone had yet again survived the day,
She can go home satisfied that she's earned her pay.    CJA