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Working Nurse l WorkingNurse.com 21 October 14–November 18, 2019 ranged from glaucoma to tuberculosis and polio. Two of her patients were partially paralyzed and another was being shipped home due to severe manic depression and psy- chosis. Her only assistant would be a staff sergeant from the medical department who suffered from chronic arthritis. Ott outfitted the C-47 with bedpans, sheets, blankets, mattresses, two cots anchored to the floor and what simple medical supplies she could scrounge. In the early hours of the next morning, she was ready, and the trip began. Around the World in Seven Days The C-47 transport, popularly known as the "Gooney Bird," was the military version of the Douglas DC-3 airliner. Compared to modern airliners, it was slow, loud and uncom- fortable. Its cabin wasn't pressurized, so flying above 5,000 feet was exhausting for passengers and crew. Exacerbating the discomfort for Ott was her uniform, whose tight skirt was totally impractical for flight duty. Since the C-47 had only modest range, they had to land regularly for fuel and servicing. Their first stop was Salalah, in what is now Oman (then part of the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman). Next came the British colony at Aden (today the capital of Yemen), followed by Gura, in what is now Eritrea, and then Khartoum and El Fasher in what was then called Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. These stops presented a new complication: At any desti- nation not controlled by the USAAF, Ott was expected to arrange and pay for meals for herself and her patients out of her own pocket! The same was true of lodging, although Ott spent her nights tending the two cot-bound patients. Changing Planes In Accra, Ghana, Ott and her patients were transferred to a big- ger aircraft: a C-87 Liberator Express, the transport version of the Consolidated B-24 heavy bomber, which wasn't any more comfortable than the "Gooney Bird," but it had a much longer range. Eleven new patients joined the original five. The British territory of Ascension Island was next on the itinerary. From there, the flight headed to the Province of Natal, South Africa. There, a doctor examined the patients, who were bathed and had their dressings changed. After a few hours of downtime, Ott restocked for the Atlantic crossing. The C-87 made fueling stops in Belém, Brazil, and Borinquen, Puerto Rico, before landing in the U.S. on January 23. During another fueling stop at Morrison Field in Florida, Ott had to help carry patients and then clean the plane, dragging out the mattresses and linens by herself. Later that day, Ott and her patients — all somewhat the worse for wear — finally arrived in Washington. Even then, the exhausted Ott's work wasn't done. She still had to chart and make her official report before she could finally collapse! ______________________________________________________________ Aaron Severson is the associate editor of Working Nurse. Elizabeth Hanink, RN, BSN, PHN, has over 40 years nursing experienc and has contributed extensively to Working Nurse. WN WCU cannot guarantee employment. For graduation rates, median debt of graduates completing these programs and other important information, visit westcoastuniversity.edu/disclosures To learn more about West Coast University and apply for this exciting opportunity please visit our Employment Page at WestCoastUniversity.edu West Coast University is a private university with the singular focus of educating health care professionals through student-centric learning and transformational education. We are seeking adjunct faculty to teach clinical classes at our Southern California campuses in the following areas—Medical Surgical, Pediatrics, OB-GYN, Mental Health, Fundamentals, Simulation Lab, and NCLEX Review. Come be part of our growing team f Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (Masters of Science in Nursing degree preferred) f Active California RN license in good standing f Current BLS certificate and at least 3 years of clinical RN experience providing direct patient care f Teaching experience is strongly preferred, but RN's with completed BSN and or MSN will be considered Successful candidates will have these qualifications: West Coast University is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and we seek candidates who desire to work in and serve an ethnically-diverse population.