IT’S MY LIFE: Tric Kearney looks back at her life as a student nurse

AS a student nurse in the ’80s sexism was alive and well and a lot more blatant than it is today. Despite the fact it seriously annoyed me, I often ignored it believing most men thought it a bit of fun rather than insulting.

One of the most common examples was when I was asked ‘What do you do?’. I’d reply: ‘I’m a student nurse.’ Nine times out of 10 the boys would smirk and say: ‘Ah so you are good at making beds’. It was definitely not their best chat-up line. However, in truth, with no innuendo involved, I am in fact superb at making beds.

Such were the memories that came to me yesterday as I put a new sheet on my bed, with the most perfect of hospital bed corners. I couldn’t help but admire it and even contemplated calling in my children to witness its beauty, but alas they are completely ignorant as to what a hospital corner is.