Christmas with the Bomb Girls by Daisy Styles

Author:Daisy Styles
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781405929813
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2017-09-05T04:00:00+00:00

19. Trainee Nurse

Gladys was rather nervous when Sister Atkins told her she had to report to Dr Grant’s office before she started her morning round. ‘Is there a problem?’ she asked anxiously.

‘You’ll soon find out,’ Sister Atkins replied as she relieved Gladys of the thermometer she was holding. ‘Off you go – don’t leave the man waiting.’

‘Come along in,’ the doctor called when Gladys gave a nervous little knock on his door. ‘Morning, Nurse Johnson,’ he said cheerily when she walked in. ‘Take a seat,’ he added, indicating the chair across the desk from him.

Perched anxiously on the chair, Gladys said, ‘I hope everything’s all right, Doctor?’

Grant beamed at the lovely trainee, whose blue eyes were wide with concern and curiosity. ‘Couldn’t be better,’ he replied. ‘Sister Atkins has been singing your praises.’

Gladys was so surprised by his statement that she burst out laughing. ‘That’s the very last thing I expected to hear you say,’ she chuckled.

‘Words of praise don’t come easily to Sister Atkins’s lips; she’s a hard taskmaster and a perfectionist to boot. We’ve had a few trainees leave in floods of tears, but you, young lady, I’m delighted to say, have weathered the storm.’

‘I’ve loved every minute,’ Gladys retorted with an eager smile. ‘And I’ve especially loved shadowing Nurse Atkins: she is a perfectionist,’ she said reverently. ‘It’s surprising how much you can pick up if you stick to somebody like glue!’

‘You were assigned to an excellent teacher,’ Dr Grant agreed. ‘Sister Atkins and I are both in agreement that you would now benefit from a short stint in a big teaching hospital.’

‘Goodness,’ Gladys gasped. ‘I feel like I’m only just getting my feet under the table.’

‘We don’t want you to get too comfortable,’ the doctor laughed good-naturedly.

Assuming she’d be heading for Manchester Royal Infirmary or the hospital in Salford, Gladys was stunned when Dr Grant said, ‘You’ll start at St Thomas’ Teaching Hospital in London on Monday.’

Gladys couldn’t believe she was hearing correctly; for all her struggle to stay in a close, familiar community, she was now being sent nearly two hundred miles south – to London!

‘You don’t look pleased,’ the doctor commented.

‘I’d prefer to remain in the North,’ Gladys confessed.

‘I know it’s a big jump, but the timing’s good for us,’ Dr Grant explained. ‘The trainee we recently sent to St Thomas’ is returning here to do further work, which frees up a space for you – it’s a straightforward swap,’ he concluded.

Sister Atkins was more excited than Gladys about the transfer. ‘You’ll do well, and you’ll come back with far more knowledge than you had when you left.’ Seeing Gladys’s anxious face, she gave her a brisk pat on the back. ‘Cheer up, Nurse, it’s not for long, and you’ll learn so much. Now I suggest you finish your final shift on Saturday afternoon, which will give you time to prepare for your journey south on Sunday. We’ll also provide you with return train tickets; we don’t want to lose you on the way, do we?’ she joked.

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