Recently had the delightful task in the postnatal ward of weighing the newborn babies going home
Wheeling them to the scales one at a time in fish bowl hospital cots
Quickly, gently, wrangling them out of clothes and nappy
Talking to them , shushing them, apologising for ma cold hands
Placing them atop the scales on the blanket nest, tiny bums in the air, so cute!
Just as quick, dress em up again, straight back to mum’s arms
Next day a shift in emergency, seeing the polar opposite example of human
Think murderous-looking character from the scariest horror movie, shuffling past shackled, unkempt, muttering to himself 😳 three towering cops in tow (thank god)
Angry muscle man next door to him, baring his chest, looking ready to pounce, scoring three security guards and one cop, all poised, ready for anything
What on earth happened to these men in the intervening years from wee baby to this?
You get in amongst it Show your genuine self Show you care Listen Be kind but use clinical judgement Protect yourself Dead – eyed angry man won’t give a toss about kindness Still, dignity needs to be maintained, his non-drug addled self might not remember any of it
The vulnerable ones tug at the heart strings, elderly, homeless, neurodivergent, women in DV relationships, complicated lives needing so much support