𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙡 𝙄𝙣𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝘿𝙧𝙖𝙛𝙩 - 𝙔𝘼𝙉𝘿𝙀𝙍𝙀 𝙓 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝘿𝙀𝙍 ✓

2.

━━━

 "So, I know how confusing this can be, since this place is so huge, but you'll get used to it the more you work."

I've noticed how expressive Nurse Bridget is as she speaks. I can tell that she's the over-sharer type, even with just how she speaks. She uses her hands laboriously as she communicates, and every change a sentence makes changes the expression on her face. 

I have mixed feelings about this nurse, I suppose I need to get to know her a little more to see if she's someone I could grow more comfortable with.

Our heels click against the tiled floor quite loudly, yet the clacking doesn't mask her speech. Once in a while, she'll even spin and walk backwards to face me as she speaks, using every ounce of her body to convey whatever emotion of the words she's saying. It's quite entertaining; she's very bright, even if an underlying hint of ignorance from earlier is still apparent. 

Even so, I am silent, keeping to myself socially as I take mental snapshots of the institution surrounding me, her words blurring behind my attention.

"...This is the first hall's storage room. There is quite a few, since this place is so huge. Some of them contain different things, like activity materials, and some even have medications. I know - its odd, usually the doctors keep them, even though I'm not sure why some are kept in storage rooms. Anyways..."

My eyes roam across the storage room door, leaving me with similar questions. It is quite odd, but I'm not going to argue with it now. 

"Where are all of the patients?" I ask, noticing the sheer emptiness of the halls. Nurse Bridget turns to me for a moment, her gaze lifting up to the wall, a white clock displaying 10:19 am. 

"Activities, social circles, therapy sessions, those sorts of things usually start around these times. Or some are still sleeping," She shrugs casually.

 "What about medication times?" I ask. 

"Oh, not all medication times are the same for certain patients. Your schedule will tell you which patients take what at each me, since unlike public institutions, medication times are scheduled to accommodate to each patient's needs. Some only take two sets of medications, some take three, it all depends on the patient,"

Her entitlement seeps out once more as she insinuates to my past work, but I brush it off once more. It doesn't matter what she thinks about my past work, and how good or bad it was.

She continues her tour, leading me across the large, long halls, and we reach a wide set of doors. "This is the patient's main hall. You'll find most of their rooms down this hall, but the youth patients can be found across the other side of the psych ward. They are usually kept in their own area, with slightly different treatment to accommodate for their development." She explains, my eye's watching her curls bounce in her ponytail as she walks. I nod in acknowledgement.

"What's that room?" I ask, turning to two sets of large doors, slightly larger than the rest of the hall's doors. It seems slightly out of place, piquing my curiosity. There is also the muffled sound of chatter seeping out.

"That's the lounge area, do you want to check it out?" She asks with a painted smile. I nod with slight enthusiasm, watching her approach the door and both quietly and cautiously open it. She opens it enough for both of us to slip inside, and the atmosphere completely shifts as soon as I step inside. 

I've never seen such a warm area within a psych ward before in my life. Carpeted in a cream tone, the room is a tremendous change from the outside halls. It's a surprisingly large, warm hall with a few fireplaces laid out across the side wall. A large television is plastered against the wall above one of the middle fireplaces, and couches are scattered across the hall, facing the television, or placed in their own selective corners 

There are no cieling lights turned on, only soft lamp lights set to a soothing, warm ambience. Faint chatter plays among patients sitting together, some in small circles, finishing their activities with one another, and some sit and watch the television with one another.

Its such a comfortable environment, one in which I've never seen in any other institution I've worked within, and to see the patients sit so casually with one another is warming sight for the soul.

"It's so calming in here..." I exhale, my gaze raking around, my anxiety somewhat ceasing as I take in the sociable setting, the job of this large hall already proving effective. "This place is funded well," I comment softly, glancing at the large set of windows at the front wall, covered with sheer curtains to dim the morning glaze.

"Yeah, it's a nice area. The patients love it here, most of them spend majority of their time here. Not a lot of institutions have halls like this; the patients are very thankful for it. Many staff members even have their lunch in here, it's that calming," Nurse Bridget explains in agreement, describing the patient's opinions and such. 

I agree, I feel like I could spend forever in here. It doesn't reek of sanitizing spray, nor holds the same sensory-overloading factors the halls of this institution. 

Its lovely, truly.

━━━

"Do you understand?" Nurse Bridget questions as I trace my finger over my schedule sheets, reading through each patient, the medications, and my times. "Yes... I'm sorry- this is just a lot," I express quietly, hearing Nurse Bridget let out a soft chuckle. 

"Trust me, I get it... you'll keep up with it eventually, try to just memorize your schedule and get to know the patients on the sheets first, take your time." She assures calmly. 

We sit across one of the couches in the lounge hall together, the sound of the television playing softly and the light chatter of the patients filling the room. We're sitting on a couch which has the perfect view of the whole hall, a great area to sit and watch the patients as we chat.

"See here, when it says, 'doing your rounds', it usually means you just patrol the halls, checking up on the patient's rooms and such, making sure everyone and everything is running as conditioned. Like- you know, going a 'round' the halls," She explains further as she points her manicured, pink nail at the time listed on the sheet, my gaze following her index finger.

"And these patients here... have you worked with these patients before?" I question as I read the list of patients on the side of the sheet, their listed medications and catered needs. She leans over and hums as she glances over the list in my hand, nodding slowly.

"Ah, some yes, some no... Nisha Anil... I've spoken to her a few times, I don't know her overly well but she's quite quiet, but she's a kind woman... Arthur Derickson, I know him pretty well, he's an older man, and he'll open up more to you as you get to know him... Stanislav Dostoevsky... I don't work with him personally, I don't know too much about him, but I'll ask for his files from the head nurse for you. I know almost every patient, but not all... Alice Franklin, she's a talker, very bubbly, get used to her rants... but she is a nice girl, a youth patient," 

Nurse Bridget chuckles as she speaks. I nod as she illustrates each patient by her own experience, or lack of, reading through the little information given about each one with clarification. 

My gaze narrows softly, questions and queries piling within my already-overwhelmed mind.

"When will I meet each one?" I ask softly as I shift my body to face Nurse Bridget.

"Well, most likely during medication times or social circles. But if we're together and I see one, I'll point them out, okay?" She assures, my eyes gazing across her features as she speaks. No wonder the patients apparently like her, she's social, she's beautiful, and she knows how to talk to people. I don't feel like I'm at a disadvantage, nor is this a competition; I think today's stress is just getting to me. 

"You'll make yourself at home in time, don't worry," She assures once more, sharing a short smile before she stands up. "I've got rounds to do, just follow your schedule," She bids her leave, waving before exiting the lounge hall. 

━━━