A Helping Hand

Ch. 4- Sponge Baths and Bed Sores

It's been a little over a week since I started picking up some volunteer hours at the hospital.

Between classes and dance practice, I had more than a few hours to burn and instead of laying around as usual, I sent in a schedule of my free time and got a floating schedule.

Typically, I did Tuesday's and Thursday's from 3 to 8. And a few other shifts here and there.

I loved it. This gave me time to become acclimated to how things went around here and of course gain even more experience in the field.

I wasn't working directly under the PT department yet, so I was stuck dealing with sponge baths and bed sore prevention. Which wasn't too far off seeing that I had to do some basic gross motor movements and repositioning for them. Due to the lack of help, I for sure got a daily workout in lifting the dead-weighted limbs.

I wasn't complaining though. It wasn't so awkward because most of the people in this wing were comatose patients so we both avoided uncomfortable conversations.

Dr. Somers would come in and check on me, giving me pointers from time to time. But eventually there wasn't much work for me to do after about ten days of my rounds.

Then I would go up to the physical therapy department and offer any assistance there.

Most of the patients were well into their therapy so I mostly observed and spotted. I could tell once I was actually able to have my own patients as a student, I would love it.

The staff here was amazing and genuinely cared about the well being and progress of everyone that came through.

- - - - -

After coming back from my lunch break I went to the nurse's station ready to see who was up for their next bath when Sheila popped up.

"Hey, Ammarie, they seem to be all under control on this wing. Why don't you come up to the department from now on? We have a new patient and I want you to help with this one." She said while ushering me to the elevators.

"Sure! That sounds great." I said a little bit too excitedly.

Once inside she leaned over and begun to speak in a more hushed tone.

"We do have a new patient, but really I just wanted to get you up here because those nurses you were helping out are starting to get lazy." She said rolling her eyes.

It wasn't a lie, once they realized I was able to do everything well and on my own, they just let me take over pretty much. Only in that wing too, the other side barely called me over to help out.

"Yeah, I could see that. But it's all good, I enjoyed the experience." I chuckled a little.

"Honey, you are too pretty to be giving those crusty people their sponge baths and putting on ointment. That isn't in your field anyway." She waved off as we stepped out. "We are going to meet up with Dr. Somers and introduce you to the patient." She continued.

After a few minutes we ended up at a room two hallways down from the elevators.

216. Allen, Luke.

We walked in and Dr. Somers stood over the patient taking vitals and jotting them down.

"Here she is. We've saved her from downstairs." Sheila laughed and closed the door behind us.

"Ammarie! How are you today?"

"I'm doing well. Excited to be here." I smiled.

"Yes, well my colleagues and I greatly appreciate your help so far but I can't let them have you for too much longer. This is Mr. Allen. He's actually come from the wing adjacent to yours. He's due to wake up soon, so we must begin a more vigorous gross motor regimen to prepare him for when he comes to." She said finally moving aside letting him into view.