Open Mouth, Insert Foot

I was working the daylight shift in the emergency department at Frick Hospital in Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania and as I entered the emergency department, I couldn’t help but notice that the place was already hopping. Back then the night shift was staffed with one doctor, one nurse, and one nursing assistant and that morning their hands were full.

It had been a very busy night and as I arrived, another two patients were brought in by ambulance. I tossed my jacket and lunch into the break room, rolled up my sleeves, and joined the melee. Those patients were no sooner stabilized when an overdose was delivered to the E.R.

By then the rest of daylight crew had filtered in to work, but the tempo never slowed. If anything, it seemed to increase. Patients seemed to flood in. Some of them were routine visits mixed with actual emergencies, but they kept coming. As soon as a bed was emptied it was almost immediately filled with another person seeking help for an illness or injury.

As I rushed past the nurses’ station, I saw the Directress of Nursing standing there, leaning against the ledge. She peered over the top, looking disdainfully down at my shoes.

Back then all nurses male and female were required to wear all white shoes. I had white shoes, but I hadn’t taken the time to change into them. They were still in my locker of the nursing lounge. What I was wearing was a pair of bright electric blue running shoes with white lightning type stripes on the sides.

It looked as though she was going to comment on my shoes. I stopped long enough to say, “If you’re not here to help us; don’t say anything.” And I hustled off.

“Oh, crap!” I thought after I blurted it out. “Me and my big mouth, I’ll be in her office tomorrow.”

Later when I passed the desk again, she’d already left the area, but it was still very busy and I had no time to worry about what I’d said to her. The emergencies kept coming.

After lunch the emergency department finally settled and I was able to change shoes. I was still worried about what I’d said, but the dreaded phone call to visit the D.O.N. never came