This is room number ten, her name is Maybell West. Pictures adorn her walls of the family farm back east. She has hearing aids, upper partials, no fixodent. She says she can taste it all day long. Call light is here on the wall, always fasent it to the edge of the bed were she can reach it. Her family wants nothing to do with her because she only talks about the pigs and that they loved to eat little children. She will tell you that they ate three of hers, and that not one piece has ever been found. They ate the pigs you know. Remember to draw the curtain and wash your hands.
Room number eleven is empty. Door is shut, just leave it that way. The cleaning staff does a deep clean after someone leaves or dies. Don't get caught sleeping in one of the beds on your shift. You will get written up, depending how much management likes you, or fired.
Room twelve is Cecil Huffaker. Incontinent. Upper and lower dentures, glasses, hearing aids. Always put an undershirt on him. Left knee brace, use it for all transfers. Cecil is a bit handsy with the guys. He'll give your scrotum a good squeeze if hes in the right mood. He was never married and had no children but was a very active member of the church. He was a religious man, devoted to god, if you know what i mean. Check him every two hours when it is time for rounds, he is on a two hour bathroom schedule. Remember to wash your hands.
This door here is the dirty linen and trash closet. The code is 4558 backwards. Flip this and the code is hidden. Remember the code is 4558 backwards. Its that way because the residents cant figure it out if they try to get in. Dirty linen with feces, urine, wound drainage, mucus, sputum, emessis, or fluids from the lungs, abdomen, and spinal area go here. That is standard precautions for all patients that have bodily substance controls. Infection control guidelines are here in this book. If you get any of these materials on, or in your mouth or eyes here is the eye wash station. Don't lick your fingers.
Room thirteen is haunted. Imagene McKinny is in there now. She has her own teeth. Incontinent. Tow hour bathroom checks as well. Family does her own laundry. Put the bags in the left closet in the hamper. She eats in the assisted dinning area. Nectar thick liquids. Everyone who has ever been in this room ends up dying within the year. You know that they are on their way when they start seeing the little children playing in the corner of the rooms, or running up and down the hallways at night. Sometimes you can hear a faint laugh or cry. This place used to be a orphanage at the turn of the century. And a tb ward after that, then back to a children's home. Lots of people died here, some in mysterious ways. Imagene talks with a little boy. He tickles her feet at night. She is a very restless sleeper. Always wash your hands after exiting.
I love the details you added in here! It really made me visualize this orientation! Good job :)
ReplyDeleteThank you. Too many years as a CNA will do that to you. Robot. Robot.
ReplyDeleteNice description from each person down to the code to the door! I can really see it in my head as I'm reading it :)
ReplyDeletethank you, I like to write, and writing comes way easier when you've experienced it yourself.
ReplyDeleteA nursing home or assisted care facility provides you with the perfect space for achieving the dark and light that Orozco achieves. You give us the technical details of caring for the elderly (dentures, bathroom schedule, etc.) AND the sorts of details that seem to have dark underbellies (Cecil's scrotum grabbing and "angel of death" status on Imagene). Well-done.
ReplyDeleteThe names all made up of course. Exept the part about the litttle ghost children, that part is true!
ReplyDeleteI love that you added the part about the haunted room, I love haunted stories. Great detail. From you detail I don't think I would want to work in a nursing care facility.
ReplyDeleteI do love me a good ghost story! I could write a whole book about them. No, your so gentle, you wouldnt last long, cna jobs have a very high turnover rate. Plus everyone usually dies, perfect ghost story. Thanks Jana.
ReplyDelete