"Here you go,"Eliana said , placing her bags on the floor. "You should tend to your residence and buy whatever is missing, there is a shared bathroom at the end of the corridor.After you finish, come find me. I will guide you around the hospital ."
"well, I will trouble you later,"Joan said, smiling cheekily.
"No trouble , come find me if you want to ask about anything ,I'm a maternity nurse trainee in my third year"
Eliana left smiling, Joan closed the door and took a breath, taking in the fact that this was her new home—even if only temporarily. It would take a few years before she could afford her own place.She opened the window, although it is a cold morning it's more refreshing then this cramped room.She tidied her bed and stored her clothes in the small box , and after wiping the small table and organising her pen and notebook and some other things, she slipped her suitcase under the bed .She didn't take out her heels, accessories, or makeup from her suitcase as she didn't have a place to store them.After doing all that ,the room , though cramped,it came alive.
She will need to buy something for emergencies. Luckily,she has experience in what to buy when moving to a new place.
"I will need two small boxes to store my makeup and accessories ,and a hair brush. The second box will contain my toothbrush, soap, shampoo and a small and large towel.I will also need some sewing tools as fabric is expensive here and I don't have the means to buy new clothes anytime soon, a kettle ,a mug,a washing basin and soap for washing clothes"
Joan looked out the window and saw it was still early, well before lunch. She quickly headed to the general store.
While descending the stairs,she met another nurse who was running upstairs,they shortened their greetings to a mere nod as they were both busy.
Joan pushed the door and listened to the ringing above her head .
"Welcome miss , what would you like to purchase?"The old manager greeted.
"Hello sir , I want two small wooden boxes, a kettle, a washing basin , some needles and thread , and a soap"
"That will be one dollar and sixty -nine cents " the manager said after collecting her purchase.
Joan paid and took her boxes that held sewing tools and soap.
On the way back she took her time looking around area circling the hospital when Joan left the hospital, she was recommended to go through the side door as it is less crew then the main entrance,and now Joan has time to observe , The hospital entrance was quiet and controlled, while the streets near the hotel were busy and restless, filled with voices, carts, and passing strangers.
Joan asked for directions to the maternity ward, after dropping her things,and tidying extra stuff,to look for Eliana .
"Ah ,you came, good. Let's begin with emergency room in the first floor"Eliana walked heading to the stairs "you're not working here but you should now the place "Eliana studied Joan face while watching patients struggling with pain, harried steps and flustered faces, and she was surprised to find nothing, like its any other morning.
"Every other ward, except the general ward, has 10 to 15 bed" said Eliana as they are walking out of the emergency room."Here is the Sterilization room.You can't enter right now since you've just came from outside "
Shelves lined with glass bottles, and the sharp scent of alcohol filled the air, that was the medicine room.
"unless you are allowed to enter , you can't miss around "
"To the reception's right is the rapid screening room, here is where patients are disturbed " Eliana then pointed " At the back, you'll find the ambulance entrance and a small storage room"
"Now let's head to the general ward,where you will begin your training "they went to the second floor.
The ward stretched in two long rows of beds, each side nearly identical, leaving only a narrow path down the middle.
"The general ward has 24 beds , 12 on each side , your job is to change the covers, make the beds every three days and whenever a patient is discharged. Of course ,there are special cases like when the patient is very sick and running a fever then you have to change it every few hours or when it gets dirty, that goes without a question "
Eliana walked to a closed rooms at the of the general ward and continued "Almost every ward has a private room for those that are welling to bay for it,in these rooms you have no eyes or ears ears.do your job well and you will be rewarded" Eliana paused. "But if you reach beyond your place, your wings will be clipped "
looked at her and warned.
"This where injuries are cleaned and the dressing changed for patients that are movable,for those that can't leave their bed you have to get the dressing done there"
Beside the stairs are too rooms ,on either side
"this is where you supposed to find almost everything you will need for your job , from syringes to needles and cotton, alcohol, washed bed covers, and thermometers and other necessities you will learn about it later "
"And finally is the nurse office,we won't go to the higher floors as it is not necessary, third floor is maternity ward, also has private rooms,and fourth floor is for isolation room .There is also administrative offices on the fifth floor on another building, You should also note that some wards extend across two buildings or more"Eliana took a breath"that is for today anything else you will find from your supervisor nurse tomorrow. It's almost time for lunch ,let's head to the cafeteria"