Volunteering

Like every year around this time, the medical facility received requests for volunteers to help out in hospitals, medical offices, and temporary vaccination centers. Usually, these requests aimed for undergrads, which used the opportunity to collect practical experience.

Samsara was by no means an undergraduate, yet she always signed up as well. Flu season didn't just mean that there was an increase in patients, it also often resulted in a shortage of nurses and doctors. Throughout the years, it had become a tradition for her to help out at a small hospital in the Neuville District. It always seemed to her that this part of Diamond City was hit the hardest, so people like her were needed to most.

It was not a prestigious clinic, but Samsara was not helping out to earn credits. She genuinely wanted to improve a bad situation as much as she could.

When she entered, the waiting room was already full. The nurse at the registry recognised her, and waved her over. The masks they both wore prevented Samsara from seeing his face, but she was sure he was smiling underneath it.

"On time like always", he greeted her.

"What's the situation?" she asked, lacking a good reply.

"So far we're lucky. The big wave hasn't hit yet. Most of the staff is healthy, but one of our doctors is absent."

"Influenza?"

"Just a really bad case of acute viral rhinopharyngitis."

The nurse handed her a set of spare keys and a name badge.

"If you want to fill in, the office is room 059. Can I slot you in for the initial examination?"

"Of course!" Samsara replied, signing the mandatory paperwork. She then took the keys, badge, and a guest coat the nurse handed her.

"Great. I'll see you in... let's say five to ten minutes then?"

"I'll be right back", she promised.