One Morning, at exactly 0450 hrs (she’d been told that from here on out it was just military time) she arrived at the old building, nervous-and let’s be honest: scared as hell. She opened the heavy front door, quickly entering the code that was displayed on an old keypad. As she walked through the dark passage and toward the dimly lit Nurses’s Station, she shuddered as the smell of what seemed like urine drifted up her nostrils.

“Can I help you?” said an impatient, unfriendly voice. It belonged to a stern looking, heavy set Nurse, who leaned against some kind of cart.

“Good Morning-I am the new C.N.A”, she said, attempting to smile. Stern Nurse scowled. “You new?” she coughed, covering her mouth with the back of the palm of her hand. “Yes, it’s my first day”, again, a faint smile, in an attempt to soften this woman who did not even know her. “Oh God”, Stern Nurse replied, rolling her eyes. “The time clock is down the hall. Come back here when you punch in”.

Blinking rapidly she nodded, and quickly put her head down. She could feel the salt in her throat as she walked down the hall. She heard muffled sounds behind a closed door, running water, someone calling out for help.

This was going to be a long and difficult transition.