come back without them!"
Fay set out on her task rather unwillingly—she would far rather have stayed in the ward and settled little Paul in, but she knew why she had been picked to go to Registry rather than one of the younger nurses whose job it more properly was. It meant that Sister Browning was not really at all sure of the whereabouts of that file. Fay sighed as she obediently made the trek over to the main building on what she knew would probably be a difficult mission.
Registry were not very helpful. The clerks there had had more than one battle with Sister Browning and were not disposed to alter the verdict which had already been given—the file for Paul Jones had been booked out to Sister Browning.
"Yes, I know," Fay argued. "That was when the child was in before, but Sister sent the file back here when he was discharged about three months ago."
"Yes—and then she asked for it again—"
"Of course she did—when the child was readmitted today. That's when you told her the file was out," Fay repeated the details she had been given.
Grumbling, the clerk went away and came back with another who carried on the argument. "Sister Browning asked for the file yesterday and we sent it up to her."
"Well, it didn't arrive in the office yesterday, of that I'm quite sure," Fay stated firmly. "I did the office work yesterday myself and tidied up before night staff went on, and there was no file for Paul Jones there."
This seemed to be deadlock, and in desperation Fay suggested, "Could you perhaps have sent it to another ward by mistake?"
Registry did not admit to making mistakes, and only after persistent pressing did the clerk reluctantly agree to look up yesterday's list to see who else had requested files just before and just after Sister Browning.
This time there was a considerable pause, during which some telephoning took place. Eventually the first clerk came back. "I'm sorry, Staff Nurse," she said grudgingly, "it seems that the file on Paul Jones must have got caught up with
another batch that was going to Mr. Osborne. We'll get it back and let you have it up later."
"But it's wanted now," Fay persisted. "Dr. Fisher will be starting her round almost immediately and Sister wants that file."
"Well, there's only two of us here now and I can't spare anyone to send over for it. Perhaps you'd like to go yourself? It's on the desk in Mr. Osbome's office."
"Where's that?" Fay had no objection to getting the file for herself so long as she got it back to the ward in time for the doctor's round.
"It's one of the offices on the main corridor—near Theatre One. You'll see it—it's got his name on the door. You can just go in and pick it up if there's no one there."
Fay had heard about the privilege accorded to some of the Senior Registrars of having an office put at their disposal. Years ago before the accident wing had been added there had been a number of small examination rooms on the main corridor, and when these were no longer needed for that purpose they were made available to some of the Registrars. She must have passed the doors more than once on journeys through the main corridor without ever noticing the names on the white-painted doors. However, she found Mr. Osborne's without difficulty and tapped on it.
A familiar voice called "Come in !" and when she went in Fay was surprised to see Shorty Shaw sitting behind the desk.
"Hullo, what d'you want?" he said with a grin when he saw who it was.
"Hullo," Fay responded, "I thought this was Mr. Osborne's office—what are you doing here?"
"Using his desk to catch up on my homework," Shorty told her unashamedly. "What can I do for you?"
"Registry say there's a file here—Paul Jones is the name. It ought to have come to us, but there's been some muddle. Can I look to see if it's here?"
"It is—somewhere. Registry just rang through about it. I expect it's got under some of my junk, though."
Fay moved over to the desk to help in the search, and
Fay set out on her task rather unwillingly—she would far rather have stayed in the ward and settled little Paul in, but she knew why she had been picked to go to Registry rather than one of the younger nurses whose job it more properly was. It meant that Sister Browning was not really at all sure of the whereabouts of that file. Fay sighed as she obediently made the trek over to the main building on what she knew would probably be a difficult mission.
Registry were not very helpful. The clerks there had had more than one battle with Sister Browning and were not disposed to alter the verdict which had already been given—the file for Paul Jones had been booked out to Sister Browning.
"Yes, I know," Fay argued. "That was when the child was in before, but Sister sent the file back here when he was discharged about three months ago."
"Yes—and then she asked for it again—"
"Of course she did—when the child was readmitted today. That's when you told her the file was out," Fay repeated the details she had been given.
Grumbling, the clerk went away and came back with another who carried on the argument. "Sister Browning asked for the file yesterday and we sent it up to her."
"Well, it didn't arrive in the office yesterday, of that I'm quite sure," Fay stated firmly. "I did the office work yesterday myself and tidied up before night staff went on, and there was no file for Paul Jones there."
This seemed to be deadlock, and in desperation Fay suggested, "Could you perhaps have sent it to another ward by mistake?"
Registry did not admit to making mistakes, and only after persistent pressing did the clerk reluctantly agree to look up yesterday's list to see who else had requested files just before and just after Sister Browning.
This time there was a considerable pause, during which some telephoning took place. Eventually the first clerk came back. "I'm sorry, Staff Nurse," she said grudgingly, "it seems that the file on Paul Jones must have got caught up with
another batch that was going to Mr. Osborne. We'll get it back and let you have it up later."
"But it's wanted now," Fay persisted. "Dr. Fisher will be starting her round almost immediately and Sister wants that file."
"Well, there's only two of us here now and I can't spare anyone to send over for it. Perhaps you'd like to go yourself? It's on the desk in Mr. Osbome's office."
"Where's that?" Fay had no objection to getting the file for herself so long as she got it back to the ward in time for the doctor's round.
"It's one of the offices on the main corridor—near Theatre One. You'll see it—it's got his name on the door. You can just go in and pick it up if there's no one there."
Fay had heard about the privilege accorded to some of the Senior Registrars of having an office put at their disposal. Years ago before the accident wing had been added there had been a number of small examination rooms on the main corridor, and when these were no longer needed for that purpose they were made available to some of the Registrars. She must have passed the doors more than once on journeys through the main corridor without ever noticing the names on the white-painted doors. However, she found Mr. Osborne's without difficulty and tapped on it.
A familiar voice called "Come in !" and when she went in Fay was surprised to see Shorty Shaw sitting behind the desk.
"Hullo, what d'you want?" he said with a grin when he saw who it was.
"Hullo," Fay responded, "I thought this was Mr. Osborne's office—what are you doing here?"
"Using his desk to catch up on my homework," Shorty told her unashamedly. "What can I do for you?"
"Registry say there's a file here—Paul Jones is the name. It ought to have come to us, but there's been some muddle. Can I look to see if it's here?"
"It is—somewhere. Registry just rang through about it. I expect it's got under some of my junk, though."
Fay moved over to the desk to help in the search, and
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