Last week we posted a story Scott Moro told us about some strange goings-on at Gracedale. Here is another of Scott's tales...Part 2: The Red Headed Nurse
Scott: During the summer of ’93, in the North West 2 wing, the regular staff I worked with was in and out on vacation, so there were times when new or substitute nurses and aides were working the same shifts as me. There were one or two regulars, along with me and one or two subs...People I didn’t know. As I was making my bed-time rounds, I saw a red-headed nurse pass me and go into a linen supply closet. There was definitely nothing out of the ordinary about this. Many times residents wanted another blanket or socks for their feet. What was unusual was the fact that the red-headed nurse was wearing one of those “old – fashioned,” white nurse’s hats. I didn’t think anything of it and continued to make my rounds throughout the floor.
When I got back to the nurse’s station, I asked Linda, the RN on the floor, and one of the
regulars, “Who’s the new nurse?” She looked at me, kind of strangely and said, “which one,” thinking I’d meant one of the substitute aides. I repeated my question, this time saying, “The red-headed one, ya know, the one with the old-fashioned hat?” This time, instead of a look at me, she turned to another regular, another nurse named Linda, and they kind of smirked at one another.
Thinking I’d missed out on the inside joke, I said, “What? What’s so funny?”
Both Lindas looked at me and said, “So, you’ve seen her.”
At this point, I was getting pissed and replied that “yeah, I’d seen her, so what.” She works there, just like us. I wanted to know what her name was so I could say hello and introduce myself. The red-headed nurse did seem a bit odd, especially with her style of dress, but it didn’t seem out of the ordinary.
Well, as it turns out, the red-headed nurse that disappeared into the linen closet was not a new Gracedale employee. In fact, she was hired nearly than 40 years before. She was one of the original nurses to work the floor in the 1950’s...and had passed away quite a few years before I saw her. Her spirit “hangs around” the North West 2 wing and what I’d encountered was a ghost!
Scott: During the summer of ’93, in the North West 2 wing, the regular staff I worked with was in and out on vacation, so there were times when new or substitute nurses and aides were working the same shifts as me. There were one or two regulars, along with me and one or two subs...People I didn’t know. As I was making my bed-time rounds, I saw a red-headed nurse pass me and go into a linen supply closet. There was definitely nothing out of the ordinary about this. Many times residents wanted another blanket or socks for their feet. What was unusual was the fact that the red-headed nurse was wearing one of those “old – fashioned,” white nurse’s hats. I didn’t think anything of it and continued to make my rounds throughout the floor.
When I got back to the nurse’s station, I asked Linda, the RN on the floor, and one of the
regulars, “Who’s the new nurse?” She looked at me, kind of strangely and said, “which one,” thinking I’d meant one of the substitute aides. I repeated my question, this time saying, “The red-headed one, ya know, the one with the old-fashioned hat?” This time, instead of a look at me, she turned to another regular, another nurse named Linda, and they kind of smirked at one another.Thinking I’d missed out on the inside joke, I said, “What? What’s so funny?”
Both Lindas looked at me and said, “So, you’ve seen her.”
At this point, I was getting pissed and replied that “yeah, I’d seen her, so what.” She works there, just like us. I wanted to know what her name was so I could say hello and introduce myself. The red-headed nurse did seem a bit odd, especially with her style of dress, but it didn’t seem out of the ordinary.
Well, as it turns out, the red-headed nurse that disappeared into the linen closet was not a new Gracedale employee. In fact, she was hired nearly than 40 years before. She was one of the original nurses to work the floor in the 1950’s...and had passed away quite a few years before I saw her. Her spirit “hangs around” the North West 2 wing and what I’d encountered was a ghost!
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3 comments:
I, too, worked at Gracedale, but during the late 80s while going to College. I have a few stories that I have been meaning to write-up when I found a moment; however, until then, I have a confirmation story about the Red Haired Nurse.
It's funny, but as I was reading Scott's story I had to go back and make sure the name wasn't Chuck. Because the first part of the story is eeriely similar to the his story. (Chuck is a good friend from high school and worked at Gracedale in'87-'88 like I did.)
Chuck was working a 3 to 11 shift, doing his putting patients to bed rounds. He had just gotten done with one of the branches of rooms on NW2 ( The northwest wing at Gracedale is layed out like an H), and was heading back to the nurse's station to let them know he was done and continuing on his rounds. As he walked down the hall, a call light above the door of one the rooms lit up. Normally, the nurse's aides or nurses would answer the call, but if the orderly was closer, we would usually see what was needed. However, before he got to the room, he saw a nurse walk into the room. A red-haired nurse. Wearing the old fashioned nurses cap, complete with red cross. Figuring the nurse had everything under control he continued on to the nurses station.
Once at the nurses station he let the RN know he was done and on his way. She asked why he hadn't answered the call since he had passed right by. The nurse's station had a board to display the room the call came from.
Calling over his shoulder as he passed, he said, "The nurse got it."
"What nurse?"
"You know, the one with old hat."
"Wait, what old hat? What did she look like?"
"Old-fashioned cap, red-hair, skirt." Skirts were also very rare in those days.
That's when the RN and the LPN informed him, he had seen a ghost.
He swore to me that she looked completely real. Nothing out of the ordinary - except for the older style of clothes.
Wow, Thorcha. What a great comment! If you ever have any creepy Gracedale stories you want to share just let us know (weirdnazareth@hotmail.com).
-WN
I worked at Gracedale recently for the past two years. It is funny that all of these stories are taking place on NW2 because that floor has a reputation for weird things happening. The rumor around is that a nurse had hung herself sometime back in the day. I have experienced call bells going off in bathrooms with no one in them when I was walking past the door (not enough time had passed for someone to have pulled the call bell and left). I have also experienced call bells going off and when you go to the room no one is in there and you realize that resident was just discharged yesterday. The call bell would be laying neatly across the bed. We always just credited it to an electrical problem. Who knows..
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