Jared Stern wanted to leave after he had
spoken so highly of us. What happened on my shift that had changed his mind about the hospital? What would I say? He thought there was a possibility that we could be together if he left. This was a no-win situation. In the end, the
nurse was going to get the blame no matter what.
I needed to maintain professional boundaries. I was the nurse, the one with the power from a professional standpoint. I was the one who should have established and maintained these boundaries, but we had a power
imbalance here. He had stolen the power, or maybe I did not have it to begin with. He had the power to have my nurse manager jumping through hoops, along with everyone else in the hospital, as a matter of fact. I had never had the
power.
I jumped as my phone rang. The number displayed on it was Jared's room.
"Mr. Stern, how can I help you?"
"Kyra, can I see you for a minute?"
"Is there something I can bring in for you?"
"Can I have something for the pain?"
"You sure can."
I hang up and dialed Marie's number. She was glad to
medicate Jared for me, even though I knew he would not be happy. A few minutes later, my phone rang again: it was Jared. I did not answer, so it was forwarded to the nurses station. My phone rang once more, but this time it was Claire,
the patient assistant. She informed me that Jared wanted to see me. Five minutes later, my phone rang again: Room 825 was displayed on it.
"Mr. Stern, how can I help you?"
"Did you get my message?"
"Yes, I did."
My iPhone vibrated in my jacket pocket.
"Please answer your cell phone," Jared said.
I was puzzled for a minute. I could not understand how he
knew my phone was ringing. I looked at my iPhone; it was displaying a number I did not recognize.
"Answer your phone, Kyra," he repeated emphatically.
I numbly accepted the call.
"This is more private. I don't trust those phones you guys carry around," he said.
"How did you get my phone number?" I was puzzled.
"I can find anything that I need," he said
confidently.
That did not surprise me. He could probably get anyone he wanted, too. I was sure.
"Are you avoiding me, Kyra?"
"No, I'm not," I lied. "You are not my only
patient, you know."
"I detect some hostility in your voice."
"I'm sorry."
"Kyra, I can't apologize for what happened
earlier."
"Please forget about it. What happened earlier was a stupid mistake, and it will not happen again."
"I can't forget about it, Kyra. Can you?"
I could not, either.
"Good night, Kyra. I won't bother you for the rest of the night."
"Good night, Jared."
I hoped that I could make it through the night without going
back to that room. Everything was going great, until four AM, when Claire called and told me that Jared's blood pressure was very elevated. I went into the room to check on him, and to retake his blood pressure. He was sitting on the edge of the bed. His pillows, the linen, and his t-shirt were all soaking
wet.
"Does he have a fever?" I asked Claire.
"No, he doesn't," she answered.
"It was just a nightmare, Kyra," Jared said.
What was he dreaming about, to have him sweating so profusely and with such extremely elevated blood pressure?
"Kyra, can you help me?" Claire asked.
"Sure." He was looking so hot in his tight, white,
wet t-shirt and wet, unruly hair.
"I need to make the bed. Can we put him in the chair?" Claire asked.
"I prefer to stand," Jared said. "I know I
can't put any weight on my left leg."
He was out of bed yesterday with physical therapy and did very well, so I knew he could handle this. I helped him to stand, and I stood in front of him. He placed his hands on my shoulders. This was the first time I
had seen him standing. His five foot, ten inch, well-built stature intimidated me. I felt the warmth from his hands on my shoulder, and the tingling started. I stood as still as a statue, never looking up, but I felt his penetrating
gaze. I wished Claire would move a little faster making the
spoken so highly of us. What happened on my shift that had changed his mind about the hospital? What would I say? He thought there was a possibility that we could be together if he left. This was a no-win situation. In the end, the
nurse was going to get the blame no matter what.
I needed to maintain professional boundaries. I was the nurse, the one with the power from a professional standpoint. I was the one who should have established and maintained these boundaries, but we had a power
imbalance here. He had stolen the power, or maybe I did not have it to begin with. He had the power to have my nurse manager jumping through hoops, along with everyone else in the hospital, as a matter of fact. I had never had the
power.
I jumped as my phone rang. The number displayed on it was Jared's room.
"Mr. Stern, how can I help you?"
"Kyra, can I see you for a minute?"
"Is there something I can bring in for you?"
"Can I have something for the pain?"
"You sure can."
I hang up and dialed Marie's number. She was glad to
medicate Jared for me, even though I knew he would not be happy. A few minutes later, my phone rang again: it was Jared. I did not answer, so it was forwarded to the nurses station. My phone rang once more, but this time it was Claire,
the patient assistant. She informed me that Jared wanted to see me. Five minutes later, my phone rang again: Room 825 was displayed on it.
"Mr. Stern, how can I help you?"
"Did you get my message?"
"Yes, I did."
My iPhone vibrated in my jacket pocket.
"Please answer your cell phone," Jared said.
I was puzzled for a minute. I could not understand how he
knew my phone was ringing. I looked at my iPhone; it was displaying a number I did not recognize.
"Answer your phone, Kyra," he repeated emphatically.
I numbly accepted the call.
"This is more private. I don't trust those phones you guys carry around," he said.
"How did you get my phone number?" I was puzzled.
"I can find anything that I need," he said
confidently.
That did not surprise me. He could probably get anyone he wanted, too. I was sure.
"Are you avoiding me, Kyra?"
"No, I'm not," I lied. "You are not my only
patient, you know."
"I detect some hostility in your voice."
"I'm sorry."
"Kyra, I can't apologize for what happened
earlier."
"Please forget about it. What happened earlier was a stupid mistake, and it will not happen again."
"I can't forget about it, Kyra. Can you?"
I could not, either.
"Good night, Kyra. I won't bother you for the rest of the night."
"Good night, Jared."
I hoped that I could make it through the night without going
back to that room. Everything was going great, until four AM, when Claire called and told me that Jared's blood pressure was very elevated. I went into the room to check on him, and to retake his blood pressure. He was sitting on the edge of the bed. His pillows, the linen, and his t-shirt were all soaking
wet.
"Does he have a fever?" I asked Claire.
"No, he doesn't," she answered.
"It was just a nightmare, Kyra," Jared said.
What was he dreaming about, to have him sweating so profusely and with such extremely elevated blood pressure?
"Kyra, can you help me?" Claire asked.
"Sure." He was looking so hot in his tight, white,
wet t-shirt and wet, unruly hair.
"I need to make the bed. Can we put him in the chair?" Claire asked.
"I prefer to stand," Jared said. "I know I
can't put any weight on my left leg."
He was out of bed yesterday with physical therapy and did very well, so I knew he could handle this. I helped him to stand, and I stood in front of him. He placed his hands on my shoulders. This was the first time I
had seen him standing. His five foot, ten inch, well-built stature intimidated me. I felt the warmth from his hands on my shoulder, and the tingling started. I stood as still as a statue, never looking up, but I felt his penetrating
gaze. I wished Claire would move a little faster making the
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