The 1:1 talk between David Harewood and the new director of the theatre proved to be an interesting listen. With much candour the actor, director and writer explored some rather painful memories of childhood racism in Birmingham in the 1970s before linking that ingrained trauma to a psychiatric breakdown when in his 20s.
The subsequent racism he experienced as a patient ( mostly concerning being over sedated by a fearful mainly white nursing team) resonated with me, and I recalled one snowy night in York where I faced my own inherited racism during one pragmatic shift
It was 1987 and it was winter night filled with snow in York.
I was transferred to take charge of an elderly ward as staffing was dire.
I was a very junior staff nurse supported by two support workers.
The support workers were two Jamaican ladies of mature years.
I was told to refer to them with a respectful " Mrs Lewis and Mrs Williams by the handover nurse
" They will show you the ropes" I was told carefully.
I had never really spoke to a person of colour before. You never saw many non whites back then in North Wales and Chester, where I grew up and trained as a psychiatric nurse, but I was bright enough even then not to pull rank on two experienced nurse aides, and so I stepped back and allowed myself to be told what to do.
Mrs Lewis and Mrs Williams worked at their own pace. They were unhurried and respectful, as they washed dirty bottoms and undressed the confused and the mute and I watched with some awe as together they bedded down 25 confused elderly ladies with the tired and practiced ease of two broad hipped grandmothers that had seen some hardship over a 40 year career.
They sang together as they worked and they laughed and hugged their patients with some warmth when hugs were needed and by midnight the ward was quiet as they dished out their own suppers of rice and peas and jerk chicken at the nurses station.
I was given a plate too, with a napkin and a glass of homemade ginger cordial and as I listened to them chat and laugh and I answered their questions about my home and family I realised just how sheltered I had been for the first 20 years of my life
At 6 am I asked their Christian names.....Matilda and Angel, I was told and we all laughed....
It was a cold and snowy night in York and I took charge of an elderly ward of 25 senile patients
And I learnt more about good nursing care and life from two big hearted support workers in 10 hours than I ever did from six months of my psychiatric nurse training.
This resonates with me because I always thought something worrying happened - though unwell at the time as a patient during the late 70s in a psychiatric hospital -a loud preaching lady(I think Jamacian) - quite forcefull marched amongst us holding a banner of religious notice - I saw her taken away - I peeped through the padded room door -nurses struggling with her and later heard she died of a heart attack - I knew then it wasn't a safe place to be x
ReplyDeleteWhat a horrid experience
DeleteMy parents were visiting me and my mum was concerned but it was only after they had left that myself and another patient followed the screams and banging x
DeleteThere is so much to learn from people, if we only give them a chance.
ReplyDeleteAnd we are never too old david ,
DeleteWe can all learn something from others, no matter who they, or we are. Your final sentence re-enforced my belief that not every nurse needs a degree. You don't learn empathy, care, love or humanity from books, but from real life and other people. You had a couple of great teachers there, John! xx
ReplyDeleteYou have to be receptive , and I was naive and ripe for teaching
DeleteThere's a saying I remember but from not where " When the student is ready, the teacher appears". Sounds very much like Matilda and Angel. Great memories told really well.
ReplyDeleteJo in Auckland
I’ve never heard of that saying but I like it
DeleteWe had three indigenous patient care attendants on our unit. Their race is often stereotyped as being lazy. One was excellent and I hoped she would go on and take further training. The other two worked slowly which wasn't always appreciated by other staff. I came to understand their slowness was gentleness, they were extremely respectful to their patients and, even though most of the staff were kind, the kindness and empathy of these two stood out. I was always happy to see them on my shift.
ReplyDeleteYes, many African nurses have a pace and a Grace about their work . I love watching it
DeleteReminds me very much of a nurse called Joyce I did nights with on Villa 11, talc being liberally applied at pad changes with a cheery "here's snow on your mountain" and BBC World Service (no night time TV then), always singing as she worked
ReplyDeleteSnow on mountain lol
DeleteShe’d probably be reprimanded for that now
Your posts are always life-affirming for me. Thank you for all of the time and effort you take in a very busy schedule to share your experiences, so different than mine.
ReplyDeleteThank you, but I kind of rehashed an old post and added it
DeleteWonderful account of your experience and similar to mine: mentors can come in all shapes, sizes, and colors and can even be a patient.
ReplyDeleteHugs!
Yes, the memory came on the back of Harewoods Q and A …he talked about mentors
DeleteIt is amazing how simple good deeds make so much an impact. It keeps me alert to always try like wise.
ReplyDeleteIn a hospital you are always being watched
DeleteMore new residents in medical programs need to learn that lesson- that the nurses and aides have much to teach them if they'll just step back, observe, and be respectful.
ReplyDeleteAnd shut your mouth x
DeleteLate 1970's into Barts Hospital for the birth of baby no 3. We were greeted by a no-nonsense West Indian Midwife. Looking my husband up and down, she announced to him 'wash your hands, take that chewing gum out of your mouth, put this plastic apron on and come and assist me with the birth. I am.going off shift soon and l don't want all the extra paperwork of a handover!'. He was so scared of her he swallowed his chewing gum and got set to.. Baby delivered just fine.No extra paperwork needed. She was also a great believer in a glass of sherry to enrich breast milk, l hope these type of midwives are still around, but expect they are not allowed to be themselves these days if they are still practising. Tess x
ReplyDeleteOh that is priceless ,,,I love it
DeleteMidwifery has championed black female professional autonomy well before anywhere else did
Forgotten her name, but quite a 'lege' at Barts, back in the day
DeleteAs a brash 30 year old recent post doc, I was taken to task by a middle age medical assistant, who told me to 'wait until you know what you are doing', when I wanted to intubate a patient. I took her advise.
ReplyDeleteA wise doctor you are..
Delete.
That is why I remain silent at times others are carrying on. You learn so much just remaining alert and receptive to ideas different than your own. Great book post.
ReplyDeleteThank you Gemma
DeleteExcellent post- unfortunately racism is still rampant. Some just don’t understand the concept of white privilege.
ReplyDeleteRacism has changed , it’s become insidious, gaslighting , and complicated
DeleteI agree with you. It used to be blatant, name calling and discriminatory…now it is insidious, as you say. In some respects it is worse because people deny it. Complicated for sure.
DeleteHope the back one is doing well (Albert in case anyone wonders)
The black on is doing fine ….I’ve got him a litter tray
DeleteThis is a great post, John. I am glad you had an open mind to learn from these ladies. We could use more open minds in the USA! :)
ReplyDeleteIn the early 1960"s I worked in a rural hospital in Northern CA as an Aide. No certification in those days. Not many beds and an ER. No attending physician on duty. The physician was on call. We even delivered babies. Each shift had a Registered Nurse and two aides. I was young and just married. My nurse in charge was Gloria, who had gotten her nursing degree in Harlem, N.Y. She had shared how hard her struggle was to achieve it. I was of Italian decent. Growing up I faced some racism. Gloria taught me so much. Hard working. Knowledgeable and caring. I was shocked and appalled when a person with a life threatening situation would not want her to touch or help them. I would have trusted her with my life! There were many others who appreciated her loving care. That has stayed with me al my life. Thankful there are so many like Matilda and Angel! Thank you John. I so enjoy your blog! Bev
ReplyDeleteSo, John, wise even back then when you were a junior staff nurse.
ReplyDeleteYour life experience stories document important lessons for all. The book you plan to write will be outstanding. A chapter titled: "Matilda and Angell" will read well.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Traveller…. I have seen and continue to see all kinds of discrimination!
ReplyDeleteLinda from Alabama.
They sound like wonderful women.
ReplyDeleteLike you I have not had much contact with our brothers of colour. I still regret that I never had a friend from either Jamaica or the continent of Africa.
ReplyDeleteBorn in the 50's and raised in a rough part of inner London many of my schoolfriends were newly arrived from the West Indies. I called them 'coloured', they called me 'white'. We were the best of friends and remain so at regular school reunions. Working now in a secondary school in a Shire county I am appalled at the way pupils accuse each other of racism, some staff are accused of the same thing by pupils aged 11 and over who have no concept of what the word means. Be kind to each other, be nice and be happy are the words I ask them to follow in an effort to move them on from a situation that has been allowed to escalate to frightening levels.
ReplyDeleteThose ladies sound wonderful. I expect they would have all sorts of pressures nowadays about how quickly they worked etc. But much better the "Pace and Grace" you mention. The kindness and the consideration of personal dignity.
ReplyDeleteOne of the schools where I invigilated a large proportion of the students were black - the teachers white apart from a lovely male deputy head - It was a great school and hopefully now they have more black teachers x
ReplyDeleteYou seem to be recalling some wonderful mentors from your past this week. In the end kindness and humanity are all that matters.
ReplyDeleteJohn, your posts are wise, wonderful and deeply telling. White and working class, I have never been able to understand racism, not why it is so rampant and appalling these days (ginger hair? Judaism? Really?) I grew up in the swinging sixties, individualism, tolerance, frredom....where in hell has all that sanity and understanding gone? As a small child in the Fifties black and white twin dollies were very popular, And most girls wanted the black dolly best as they looked prettier in party dresses. I had the twins and a posh twin pram for my fifth birthday. I am still reminded of tipping both into the fish pond so I could use the pram as the wheelbarrow I had asked for instead. Get there are some types out there who would call me racist rather than a tomboy. Tough.
ReplyDeleteLiz, We're about the same age, and my favourite childhood doll was named 'Sadie', she was black, and her hair, rather than being acrylic or similar, was sort of 'carved' curls on the surface of her head. She was beautiful, and the only one of my dolls, who always wore a hat, I didn't want her head to get cold or sun burned!
DeleteHello Col. Oh yes, had forgotten about those curls! Sounds like you fished Sadie out from among our goldfish. Lovely memory!
DeleteThat's a lovely story. Sounds like Matilda and Angel knew what good nursing was all about and they didn't need degrees or improvement targets or glossy folders. They just got on with it.
ReplyDeleteMany years ago---decades, actually---I worked with hospitalized children and their families as a child life specialist. There was a very young new nurse on the ward who thought kids should have baths every day. One large teenaged boy disagreed, loudly. She insisted, and so did he. Then an experienced, mature nurse's aid named Delta came into the room and calmly stated, "Honey, no one done
ReplyDeleteever died from dirt." The situation was diffused, and all was well.
Lifr comes at us from many directions. That is why I have become a Free Thinker. Just saying!
ReplyDeleteOh, I just love David Harewood, I rate him quite highly as an actor and also think he's absolutely gorgeous!!!
ReplyDeleteBack in my school days, we had a 'pen friend' scheme running. I put my name down for, hopefully, a Norwegian boy to write to me. (One did, but the friendship didn't last).
I did however, receive a letter after a few months from a girl, in Kingston, Jamaica, and although we've never met, and probably never will, we're still in touch. We both have children and grandchildren, we both worked full time (in similar professions), we both moan about our weight and how much we hate housework. We both want the best for our children and grandchildren, worry about their futures and the state of the world. Our lives have run pretty much parallel, but I have never experienced racial prejudice, and sadly, she has.
We're exactly the same, apart from the colour of our skin, and that matters not a jot to either of us, and nor should it matter to anyone else! X
Beautifully put dearheart
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