volume one: nursing story
A shift begins and ends with a coven.
I enjoy them, the intersection of shift workers.
Talking. Saying. Words.
A gathering of fresh new nurses.
Presided over by weary experienced nurses from the former shift.
A coven, a gathering, a ritual meeting HANDOVER
The elders tell tales of health and wellbeing
Illness and functioning
With subtle and not-so-subtle direction
For the coming hours
For the acolyte nurses
Giving charms and magic tips to stretch time
For the next shift to accomplish
All that needs to be done.
Like a covenant of care in a dusty volume
On ancient paper
A formula HANDOVER
Nurses talk. Nurses talk and talk and talk and do.
Words shape around bodies, Define conditions
Relate emotive timescapes,
Predict fortunes and fates.
Words tell tales of what has been and what might be yet.
The next shift usually has a piece of paper
And a pen To record them.
They sit with quiet rapt attention
Channelling the wisdom earned
After 8 hours intimacy with another humans body.
Words have weight
In NURSING Handover Rituals.
Handover can be frugal.
Name, age, history, diagnosis.
The night nurse stumbling dyslexic with tiredness.
I lean forward to decipher the mumble
I slump back in the chair feeling the start of hectic shift
The workload seems impossible. Then.
Handover can be garrulous.
Name, age, history, diagnosis
Life story, possible plans, discharge dreams
Emotional predictions, personal interaction.
The morning nurse in a sweaty glow.
the ache of achievement in her Proud drained voice.
I take precise notes,
knowing grateful
that The patients are painfree
medicated judiciously
And ready for the coming day.
For all the shades of nurses
For all the variations and themes of our lives
Out here, with you
Put on our uniform, enter our profession,
Human here and now
Handing over from each to each
Like a coven
Like a tea ceremony
Like a ritual born of women
24hours a day
nurses say and say and say what they do
FOR YOU
I enjoy them, the intersection of shift workers.
Talking. Saying. Words.
A gathering of fresh new nurses.
Presided over by weary experienced nurses from the former shift.
A coven, a gathering, a ritual meeting HANDOVER
The elders tell tales of health and wellbeing
Illness and functioning
With subtle and not-so-subtle direction
For the coming hours
For the acolyte nurses
Giving charms and magic tips to stretch time
For the next shift to accomplish
All that needs to be done.
Like a covenant of care in a dusty volume
On ancient paper
A formula HANDOVER
Nurses talk. Nurses talk and talk and talk and do.
Words shape around bodies, Define conditions
Relate emotive timescapes,
Predict fortunes and fates.
Words tell tales of what has been and what might be yet.
The next shift usually has a piece of paper
And a pen To record them.
They sit with quiet rapt attention
Channelling the wisdom earned
After 8 hours intimacy with another humans body.
Words have weight
In NURSING Handover Rituals.
Handover can be frugal.
Name, age, history, diagnosis.
The night nurse stumbling dyslexic with tiredness.
I lean forward to decipher the mumble
I slump back in the chair feeling the start of hectic shift
The workload seems impossible. Then.
Handover can be garrulous.
Name, age, history, diagnosis
Life story, possible plans, discharge dreams
Emotional predictions, personal interaction.
The morning nurse in a sweaty glow.
the ache of achievement in her Proud drained voice.
I take precise notes,
knowing grateful
that The patients are painfree
medicated judiciously
And ready for the coming day.
For all the shades of nurses
For all the variations and themes of our lives
Out here, with you
Put on our uniform, enter our profession,
Human here and now
Handing over from each to each
Like a coven
Like a tea ceremony
Like a ritual born of women
24hours a day
nurses say and say and say what they do
FOR YOU