Below is an article from Shortland Street website - with my thoughts included.
“COMING UP IN APRIL: It’s April on Shortland Street - so take a look ahead at some of the month’s big stories “
It starts with a headache that rapidly deteriorates into a blinding migraine for one of Shortland Street’s most loved characters.
Okay just a word of advice, the idea that a character develops a ‘headache’ isn’t exactly enthralling.
Luckily, working in a hospital means there are plenty of doctors around to seek an opinion from.
Yep, lucky. There’s no way to hide symptoms of ‘headache’ either so they doctors are probably demanding they get a check up.
But this month when one of the staff of Shortland Streetneeds a medical consultation they get fobbed off by Dr Brooke Freeman, who thinks she has more important things to deal with.
More important than a headache!? How could she possibly think that!
Soon after that person is found collapsed in the lift and rushed to the nearest ward.
Horrified to realise her mistake, Brooke Freeman works hard to save her patient’s life.
What? Brooke’s the only one qualified to administer Panadol?
Will Brooke’s lack of care see her end up with a staff member’s blood on her hands?
Blood? What sort of a headache is this?. No.
***
When Chris invited his cousin Isaac Worthington to stay at his posh home, he didn’t realise he was inviting a nest of trouble.
A nest of trouble? So is Isaac the bird? If so did he construct the nest before transporting it in to Chris’s home. I think they mean, Chris has invited the opportunity for a troublesome bird to create a nest of trouble within his home.
As April progresses, Isaac continues to cement the playboy image which Chris himself used to own.
Just because the producers keep trying to push the image that Isaac is a ‘playboy’ it doesn’t stop him being about as heterosexual as Gerald
Since his rejection by party-girl Tania Jeffries, Isaac has been playing the field.
However, the handsome doc does have a soft spot for Chris’ son Harry, and offers to look after him when Chris is called to work.
Wait, his saving grace is a soft spot for Harry? Yikes
But just as Harry manipulates Isaac into letting him drink beer, a shocked Chris arrives back.
Disturbed, Chris wonders what sort of example Isaac is setting for his impressionable son.
After some stern words, Chris feels he has Isaac back on track - until Isaac brings his next conquest home! And this lady is someone who is well known to both Chris and Harry.
Yvonne…….?
Who’s sharing an awkward breakfast with the Warners’ this month? Stay tuned to find out!
Please god let it be Yvonne
***
April brings challenges for popular med student Hunter McKay.
Popular? He doesn’t appear to have any friends. Oh wait that guy who burnt himself at a party and hit him up for some bandaging. So popular = one friend.
When his attempt to help an HIV positive junkie backfired and he was stuck with a dirty needle, his whole future changed.
Now on anti-HIV medication, Hunter’s life is in limbo until the final results come back.
Still working as an ambo? Is anyone else troubled? And they wouldn’t let Magic ball……….
This month, Hunter’s health rapidly deteriorates. Convinced he might be developing the virus, a weak and nauseous Hunter struggles to keep up with his med school assignments.
Faced with failing his course, Hunter realises a solution to his problem is staring him in the face.
Using the internet, he can pay someone else to complete his assignments for him.
Yep staring him in the face. You pretty much can’t get through 5 minutes on facebook without someone offering to do your New Zealand Med School assignments for cash.
Will the normally honest Hunter take this desperate route and cheat to compete?
Who cares
***
Recently returned from honeymoon, you’d think Sophie and Kieran Mitchell would be basking in that newlywed glow - but they’re not back in Ferndale long before Sophie uncovers more evidence that her new hubby has been keeping secrets.
Helping out with the I.V Bar accounts, Sophie finds funds that seem to have been paid to an unknown bank account.
Confronting Kieran with the information, he is forced to admit more of his dodgy dealings.
Appalled by what she discovers, Sophie is forced to make a decision about the man she loves.
Don’t marry some creep double your age. Also try and marry someone straight.
***
Cop turned Nurse, Tracey Morrison is seemingly happy to have her big brother Doug in town this month, but her joy at being reunited with him soon turns to worry.
During his stay, Tracey picks up on some uncharacteristic and secretive behaviour from Doug, who brushes it off as the stress of an impending trial.
His furtive behaviour isn’t lost on ex-army man Scotty either, who starts to suspect that Doug might not be the upright and honest cop Tracey believes him to be.
Scotty’s ex-army so he can tell a dodgy cop when he sees one. He’s ex army.
But the more Scotty digs, the more opposition he meets from Tracey, and the more he risks jeopardising their close bond.
Which was jeopardised when Scotty tried to root her.
When Doug’s actions put not only himself, but Tracey and the other staff at Shortland Street in serious danger, Tracey is forced to realise that Doug may have created a situation that even he can’t handle.
Family loyalties are put to the test and Tracey is forced to make one of the toughest decisions of her life.
***
Meanwhile, fresh from a round of budget cuts and staff redundancies, hospital 2IC Rachel McKenna must find more ways to slash spending at Shortland Street this month.
As directed by the DHB, Rachel pores over departmental accounts and finds a potentially significant place to save costs - the Primary Care Clinic.
Working the numbers, Rachel realises how much CEO Callum McKay’s ‘pet project’ has been costing.
Rachel rationalises that the PCC’s services can easily be met by community General Practitioners, but at what cost to hospital morale?
What so the 2 staff that work at the PCC
Closure would see hospital favourite Sarah Potts and her offsider Brooke Freeman out in the cold.
Worried that even by her standards it will be an unpopular step, Rachel fudges on the report, all while the DHB pressures her for an answer.
Could the hatchet-woman finally be having an attack of conscience?
The hatchet-woman who hasn’t actually made any cuts.
Will she stand up to the DHB or will she follow orders - sabotaging her personal happiness with Callum in the process?
We all know Bloomfield is going back behind the camera ASAP.
