The snow continued to fall heavily around her as she made the short journey from her car to the main entrance of the ED. With every step that she took, yet more snowflakes fell about her face and hair, and began to settle onto the dark blue wool coat that enveloped her slender frame. As she entered the ED she frowned as she heard the cackles of laughter emanating from the staff room and echoing around the department. Patients littered the waiting room like damp waifs and strays in a Salvation Army soup kitchen. How on earth could there be time for laughter and frivolities when the department was bursting at the seams, she wondered, pausing for moment to decide which incompetent member of staff should be deemed responsible for the latest cock up to inflict her precious department.
As she turned her head, she knew instantly which member of staff she would be holding responsible for the scenes of chaos that had confronted her as she had entered the building. Joking with Lofty, messing around with Robyn, flirting (for want of a better word) with Ethan and Cal, and just generally wasting valuable time with any other member of staff who happened to walk past the nurses' station. Her short blonde hair flicked out as she turned her head and gave her attention to Charlie who was handing her a large stack of patient files.
There was an air of silence that suddenly descended as she crossed the waiting room and entered the department – all quiet except the blonde's insistent nattering and carrying on. Doctors and nurses scuttled back to work and ensured that they were meaningfully engaged with the ever growing list of mind-numbing tasks that seemed to consume their daily hours and take them away from actually treating the patients in need of their help and expertise.
As she passed the nurses' station, she shot a poisonous and venomous looking glace towards her Clinical Nurse Manager. It didn't go unnoticed by the carefree, blonde nurse, or indeed, her colleagues.
"You're in for it now," said Robyn, her voice no more than a whisper, for underneath all the bravado and camaraderie, she'd rather not cross the path of their formidable clinical lead.
"I've no idea what you mean Robyn," replied Rita, with a confidence which she didn't herself believe.
"I'll see you in my office in 5 minutes Nurse Freeman," came the cutting voice which shattered their thoughts and sent Robyn bustling off to cubicles in a fluster. Rita sighed and inwardly told herself to man up and get on with it. She had, after all, been on the receiving end of Connie's wrath many a time before.