This story is going to be different when it comes to the focus and POV. Past stories focused on Jason and were from a 3rd person perspective. This story focuses on Melissa and is from her perspective. As always, the characters in this story are consenting adults age 18+.
I was still a rather new nurse, 5 years into my career, when the hospital I was working at started to remodel their emergency room. Despite knowing that the remodeling would disrupt patient care temporarily, I reminded myself that ultimately this would mean we can take better care of them. That's my priority when I am at work: doing my part to provide the best possible outcomes for my patients and their families.
They hired a local construction management firm to oversee the business end of the project. A few months in to the project, several hospital administrators and staff from the construction management firm were on site for a meeting. It was about the business end of the project. One project manager was named Jason and was right around my age. During a slower time, he came by the ER and checked out the progress on the remodeling project.
I heard a sound and didn't know what the source was. After a quick check of the patients we had, I went to look at the area the construction workers were covering that day. After I figured out that it was a sound from their equipment, I turned around so I could head back towards the 2 patient beds I was closely watching.
On my way back, I almost literally bumped into Jason. "Oops, I almost bumped into you,' I commented. Jason was totally okay with it though. "It's no big deal, I know some areas are tight right now. I'm trying to get the hospital administrative team to agree on a way to make the most important areas less crowded," he added. He then had the idea to get staff input. "How have you and the other ER staff been managing while this construction has been going on?" Several ER staff, including me, shared their comments and ideas for improvement. Some of the lead staff in the department weren't on duty that day. So I wrote a note for myself as a reminder to ask them and relay their comments when I get them. Technically I wasn't a charge nurse yet, but I took the initiative to show that I have the ability to lead and do it well. It's a work in progress.
Jason came to visit the ER regularly when he had business meetings at the hospital. And I suspect he came by a few other times and somehow got the approval from his boss to do it. We would talk more and more, and gradually our conversations moved beyond work related things. I was developing feelings for him, and he seemed to be developing feelings for me as well.