Nursing in the Family : (Eldest Daughter : Student Nurse Initiation Part 1) by Sandra Dent

I had the embarrassment of looks and whisper for a few weeks after the stripping and streaking. I followed mum’s good advice so unlike my younger sister did not get any further unnecessary treatment.

Yes, I got my leg pull on occasions, yes I got syringes of water, yes I once had my panties stolen from my locker and pinned to a notice board, yes I had a photo of my naked butt pinned to yet another notice board after a drunken night out but this was run of the mill teenage pranks.

The next major event was when I moved from being a cadet to being a student nurse at 18. I realised that I would be singled out at this time. The usual practical jokes played on new students could not be played on me I’d had them done to me and assisted in a good few being pulled on students a head of me. But I was dunked into a bath of freezing water with my clothes on, I was mercilessly soaked with syringes by a group of twenty cadets and students, using very large 100ml syringes. I had plenty of skirt lifts at exactly the wrong moment when porters or doctors would be near by.

Then one late shift I was grabbed by a couple of first years off my mother’s ward and with arms twisted behind my back frog marched to her ward. This meant a good five minute parade through the hospital with visitors and patients a like looking on at the fuss I was making. It was only my laughter and that of the others which said that it wasn’t more ominous than it looked. My captors would simply say, ‘she ran away from having her shots” this seemed to seal my fate with any member of the public who looked suspiciously at us.

I was turned into my mothers ward and expected her to be there to save me. All I got was a comment from the third year in charge which was, “We’ll have to hurry sister will be back shortly”. Hurry they did, they started to pull my dress zip down before I even got to the sluice. Once in side that gave them a all clear. Within 30 seconds the dress was off, the tights and shoes where gone, and my white underwear went in opposite directions in one very well rehearsed movement.

Now naked they had a good look and turned me over before just releasing me. I scurried into the corner. I did my best to pull my knees up and tuck my upper body in concealing myself as best I could. They picked up my clothes and left. That was it except for being naked in a sluice with nothing to wear. After a minute when I was sure they weren’t coming back for seconds I uncurled myself and keeping low to the floor began looking around for anything to wear or that would conceal my body if I was to dash back to the changing rooms. I looked around the partition wall to see if anything was in the ante area like my clothes. No such look.

I now had no choice but to stand up and scamper over to the partition wall concealing myself behind its edge. I then crossed slowly over to the swing doors. The doors had a window in them so any one passing could now see in and more importantly see me. I pulled open the door to see if I could attract anyone’s attention and get them to get me something. The noise of the life of the ward flooded in. I heard someone close by then saw a movement of an approaching body. Instinctively I jumped back into the sluice and closed the door. It made a clunk noise which must have attracted my mother’s attention since her face appeared at the window and I bobbed down. She pushed on the door.

‘Sandra” she said through the small gap. “Yes” I said. “What are you doing here” she asked. “Oh nothing” I replied. Mum pushed more on the door and I pushed back stopping her opening it. “Let me in” mum said. “I can’t, I’m, I’m naked” I said. Mum stifled her coughed laugh. “Oh come on I’ve seen you naked plenty of times” she said. “Not like this” I said.

Mum just laughed some more. ‘don’t laugh get me something to wear” I said.

Mum disappeared and returned with the hideous thing she could find. She as always claimed it was the best. It was a sky blue with red little flowers hospital slip back nightgown. Hideous. I put it on and thought that a naked walk back to the changing rooms might be preferable. I had to hold the back closed with one hand. Mum had ensured that patients and visitors to the ward would see nothing by calling staff in from other wards to line the ward as a protection detail as I made my way along the ward to the ward doors. Now wasn’t that really thoughtful of my mother to share my embarrassment with everyone.

Once at the doors it was a 20 foot walk to the lift, down four floors, then a good two minute walk along the twists of the subterranean passage way to the changing rooms. Or an extra ten minutes to walk down the stairs then along the passage way. Elevators are far two frightening.

Anyone can press a lift call button. Visitors, porters, patients anyone.

So it’s the stairs. Even so I had to pass two porters, a couple of doctors and a good few administration staff and nurses. All with big beaming smiles especially the porters and doctors. My uniform and keys where on the bench. I quickly got out of the hideous nightgown and got dressed and left.