Delivering a baby in a car — and other true nursing tales
Corky Muir retires this week after 45 years in nursing, mostly in emergency care at the General campus of The Ottawa Hospital.
That's a lot of needles and bandages and babies, including one she delivered in the front seat of a car in the hospital parking lot.
Muir was a striking figure in the hallways in her final days, as sister Gerry marked the passage by sewing a replica of the all-white uniform — cap and all — that Corky wore upon graduation from the Mack School of Nursing in St. Catharines in 1974.
We managed a quick, virtual bedside visit. (Answers edited for clarity.)
Q When did nursing become your calling?
A “I always said I wanted to be a nurse, since I was in Grade 3. I was at the kitchen sink on a stool, doing the dishes and I said, `Mom, I want to be a nurse so I can take care of people.'”
Q Where did you train?
A “I was part of the 100thanniversary class that trained under the Florence Nightingale system. We had white uniforms, the cap, white nylons and white shoes with Cuban heels. Back then, whenever a doctor walked into a nursing station, we had to stand up. Later, in Ottawa, I had to wear a hot-pink wraparound dress. It was the most impractical thing when dealing with a trauma. Imagine being up on your knees on a stretcher doing CPR on a patient wearing that. You can just picture it. Actually, don't!”
relationship between doctors and nurses has surely evolved.
A “I feel very, very blessed. I work with a great, great team.
“We are looked upon so much more as an equal. They respect and acknowledge what we know, and respect what we have to offer. There's not that old stigma, that subservience. Now we can say, especially with the medical students in a teaching hospital, `I don't think I agree with what is happening.' That's a huge thing that has grown over the years.”
Q There are many kinds of nursing. Why stay in emergency?
A “It's that raw excitement that comes with the challenge of dealing with trauma. It's the same reason a street cop wants to be a street cop. It's sort of like that. Everybody has their forte.” Q What makes a good nurse? A “I think for the most part, deep down, right where it really counts, the nurse has to really care. You have to advocate for that person. Some poor soul takes your hand because they're too weak to talk, but you know you've relieved their pain. A mother who has miscarried for the Nth time. There is something you can do. When you get right down to it, the core value of nursing hasn't changed. Every human, every person, no matter what, deserves the best possible expert care and compassion.”
Was it difficult to remain genuinely compassionate yet maintain professional composure?
“I remember a few times over the years, especially after we've had a few rough things happen, saying, `It's OK, once in a while, to let your patients see tears in your eyes.' You're a human being, too.
“There have been some horrible tragedies. But the rewards I get are from my patients. They give back far more to me. It's through them that I've learned more about patience, acceptance, understanding and strength and courage, especially with things like cancer.”
Q Tell us about life outside the ward, like marrying your high school sweetheart.
A “We've been married for 45 years (husband Graham Muir retired as assistant commissioner RCMP) and have one
Some poor soul takes your hand because they're too weak to talk, but you know you've relieved their pain.
son, Ross. Ballroom dancing has become a really deep passion of mine. I just love it and usually go three times a week. When the music and your movement is just right, it's a great feeling, a euphoric joy.”
Q OK, tell us about the baby in the car.
A “The husband had come running in and said, `My wife's having a baby.' Well, we actually hear this a fair bit. When I got to the parking lot, I didn't expect her to actually be delivering but she was, in the front seat. I told Dad to go around to the driver side and help hold her. Out came the help, the doctor, the stretcher. The doctor looked over and said, `She's doing fine, carry on.' And the baby was born right there.
“Later, I saw Mom and said, `You're going to need a major
cleanup in that car.' And she chuckled and said, `Well, it's my father-in-law's car.' ”
Q Last words?
A “Nursing has been a huge part of who I am. (The other staff ) are like another family to me. I've had a great run.”