Worked here only for 2-3 months around 1985.

All the RIE nurses wore black shoes but as I was not doing my training here I wore white shoes. The matron on my surgical ward was definitely the ‘old matron battle ax’. She would shout from anywhere on the ward ‘St Joes nurse’ as I was the easiest identified nurse and she would not have known any of the student nurses names. So if any problems with anything it was easier to just shout at me as she could see my ‘white shoes’ standing out under the curtains.

Curtains had to be ‘the exact’ way, and slippers facing the correct way with the pillow openings facing away from the entrance of the ward so visitors would not see the pillow opening when they walked in.

On night shift you had to stand up immediately if the senior nurse walked in, take off your cardigan and tell her about every patient. Their name, age, what they were in for and any update. This was a lot for such a young student to learn.

Many stories of ghosts. So much fun living in the ‘red home’ accommodation enjoying the festival or our days off.