at her desk, her cheeks and neck a rather unflattering shade of red.
‘It’s not that I doubted you, Sister Bailey. The point I was making was the fact that your actions last night weren’t documented and that in turn leaves your actions open to misinterpretation.’
For an age Lila didn’t answer. Surprisingly and completely unexpectedly Lila felt tears prick at her eyes.
Declan had defended her, she’d known he would. Not because of what they had once been to each other but because she had done nothing wrong. Yet still it touched her. But Hester’s accusatory tones had hurt, really hurt. Suddenly she felt tired, tired of the responsibility that came with each shift. Tired of the comradeship between colleagues, which Lila bolstered so passionately, that could so easily be eroded by a tyrannical boss.
‘You’re right, Hester,’ Lila said finally. ‘I should have documented what I did. Funny thing was, I was too busy talking to the patient. Too busy doing her obs and resuscitating her when she collapsed. Too busy finding out what had driven her to take the tablets in the first place.’
‘We know how busy it is here, but notes are for the staff’s protection.’
‘And when are we supposed to write them, Hester? How in-depth do the notes need to be? I spent threeyears doing a degree, one year doing a critical-care course. I used all the safeguards in place when I inserted that tube, and the safeguards worked. I realised the tube wasn’t in place and I reinserted it. That should be the end of the story. The sad part is that too many people are too quick to jump on a possible mistake. Too quick to assume the worse.’
Hester’s flush meant Lila’s words had hit their target, but Hester hadn’t finished her lecture yet.
‘I’ve also received the figures from the kitchen. Can you tell me why when you’re in charge of the department there’s a marked increase in the amount of breakfasts that are ordered?’
‘Excuse me?’
‘I’m not talking one or two here or there—see for yourself.’ For the second time she thrust a sheaf of papers in Lila’s direction. Again Lila didn’t need to look, but the accusation that came from Hester’s lips took the wind out of even Lila’s sails. ‘Are you ordering breakfast for the staff?’
The suggestion was so ludicrous that Lila gave an incredulous laugh.
‘You think we’d risk our jobs for two slices of cold toast and a cup of weak tea?’
‘Well, I can’t think of any other reason. We’ll leave it there, but I’ll be watching the breakfast orders more closely from now on, the documentation, too. Things seem a little slack when you’re in charge, Sister Bailey.’
Lila picked up her bag wearily and made her way out of the office.
‘How did it go?’ Declan avoided meeting her eyes.
‘Fine, I guess. She believed you , of course.’ Lilalet out a weary sigh. ‘Declan, do you think I was wrong not to document what happened with the NG tube?’
Declan shrugged. ‘No, but on the other hand I bet you do next time. I know I will. Unfortunately that’s the way medicine’s heading. We need to cover ourselves constantly. Doesn’t mean I like it, though.’
‘I guess.’
‘Did she tell you about your interview?’
Lila looked up sharply. ‘How do you know about that?’
‘I’m sitting in on it.’ He had the decency to wince. ‘Sorry, Lila, Mr Hinkley’s at a meeting on Wednesday. There was no way I could refuse without raising a few eyebrows.’
The tears were still threatening and Lila closed her eyes against them. It had been an emotional morning on top of an emotional weekend. All she wanted to do was sleep, to lie in bed and sleep for a whole week, but sleep would have to wait. There was Mum’s bath, breakfast…
‘Lila?’ She could hear the concern in his voice. His hand brushed her arm then quickly he pulled away. They weren’t lovers any more, they weren’t even friends, just colleagues.
‘Look, I could chuck a sicky on
‘It’s not that I doubted you, Sister Bailey. The point I was making was the fact that your actions last night weren’t documented and that in turn leaves your actions open to misinterpretation.’
For an age Lila didn’t answer. Surprisingly and completely unexpectedly Lila felt tears prick at her eyes.
Declan had defended her, she’d known he would. Not because of what they had once been to each other but because she had done nothing wrong. Yet still it touched her. But Hester’s accusatory tones had hurt, really hurt. Suddenly she felt tired, tired of the responsibility that came with each shift. Tired of the comradeship between colleagues, which Lila bolstered so passionately, that could so easily be eroded by a tyrannical boss.
‘You’re right, Hester,’ Lila said finally. ‘I should have documented what I did. Funny thing was, I was too busy talking to the patient. Too busy doing her obs and resuscitating her when she collapsed. Too busy finding out what had driven her to take the tablets in the first place.’
‘We know how busy it is here, but notes are for the staff’s protection.’
‘And when are we supposed to write them, Hester? How in-depth do the notes need to be? I spent threeyears doing a degree, one year doing a critical-care course. I used all the safeguards in place when I inserted that tube, and the safeguards worked. I realised the tube wasn’t in place and I reinserted it. That should be the end of the story. The sad part is that too many people are too quick to jump on a possible mistake. Too quick to assume the worse.’
Hester’s flush meant Lila’s words had hit their target, but Hester hadn’t finished her lecture yet.
‘I’ve also received the figures from the kitchen. Can you tell me why when you’re in charge of the department there’s a marked increase in the amount of breakfasts that are ordered?’
‘Excuse me?’
‘I’m not talking one or two here or there—see for yourself.’ For the second time she thrust a sheaf of papers in Lila’s direction. Again Lila didn’t need to look, but the accusation that came from Hester’s lips took the wind out of even Lila’s sails. ‘Are you ordering breakfast for the staff?’
The suggestion was so ludicrous that Lila gave an incredulous laugh.
‘You think we’d risk our jobs for two slices of cold toast and a cup of weak tea?’
‘Well, I can’t think of any other reason. We’ll leave it there, but I’ll be watching the breakfast orders more closely from now on, the documentation, too. Things seem a little slack when you’re in charge, Sister Bailey.’
Lila picked up her bag wearily and made her way out of the office.
‘How did it go?’ Declan avoided meeting her eyes.
‘Fine, I guess. She believed you , of course.’ Lilalet out a weary sigh. ‘Declan, do you think I was wrong not to document what happened with the NG tube?’
Declan shrugged. ‘No, but on the other hand I bet you do next time. I know I will. Unfortunately that’s the way medicine’s heading. We need to cover ourselves constantly. Doesn’t mean I like it, though.’
‘I guess.’
‘Did she tell you about your interview?’
Lila looked up sharply. ‘How do you know about that?’
‘I’m sitting in on it.’ He had the decency to wince. ‘Sorry, Lila, Mr Hinkley’s at a meeting on Wednesday. There was no way I could refuse without raising a few eyebrows.’
The tears were still threatening and Lila closed her eyes against them. It had been an emotional morning on top of an emotional weekend. All she wanted to do was sleep, to lie in bed and sleep for a whole week, but sleep would have to wait. There was Mum’s bath, breakfast…
‘Lila?’ She could hear the concern in his voice. His hand brushed her arm then quickly he pulled away. They weren’t lovers any more, they weren’t even friends, just colleagues.
‘Look, I could chuck a sicky on
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