He was a big guy, serious, a weight lifter. Big muscles. I wondered if he took anabolic steroids. He used to come in every day to get weighed; he was trying to gain weight. He had a dark complexion and straight black hair, a sweet smile, bright white sclera and teeth, and a beautiful British accent.
"My toe is coming off," he told me one day.
What? Panic. Was I going to have to sew his toe back on? Call an ambulance or arrange an appointment with a specialist? I never heard of this. I'm so ignorant! I call myself a nurse? Panic built.
"Let me see," I said, forcing myself to sound calm.
He showed me his toe. There was an open crease on the plantar surface of his right fourth toe. Pink against his dark skin. I nearly laughed with relief, but didn't. Patients don't like it when the nurse laughs.
"That's athlete's foot. You can get an ointment at the pharmacy." I explained the standard care and reassured him that this was a common ailment; he would not lose his toe.
"My toe is coming off," he told me one day.
What? Panic. Was I going to have to sew his toe back on? Call an ambulance or arrange an appointment with a specialist? I never heard of this. I'm so ignorant! I call myself a nurse? Panic built.
"Let me see," I said, forcing myself to sound calm.
He showed me his toe. There was an open crease on the plantar surface of his right fourth toe. Pink against his dark skin. I nearly laughed with relief, but didn't. Patients don't like it when the nurse laughs.
"That's athlete's foot. You can get an ointment at the pharmacy." I explained the standard care and reassured him that this was a common ailment; he would not lose his toe.
