Ep.13 “Kaze, Kaoru” Analyzed by a Nurse! Rin’s First Paycheck & Sutematsu’s Frustration — Learning About “The Dignity of Work” [Shi-chan’s Nurse Perspective]

Episode 13 Synopsis

In Episode 13, Naomi has started working as a server at the Rokumeikan.

She entered by hiding her true identity, using her English to work, and searching for a marriage partner who can open a path to her future.

The Rokumeikan is a glittering symbol of the Meiji era’s westernization.

Western culture. Diplomacy. High society. The upper class. Women’s attire. Foreign languages.

In this space where all of these converge, Naomi works as a server.

While working there, Naomi learns about Sutematsu’s feelings toward the Rokumeikan.

Sutematsu is a woman who returned to Japan after learning English and other subjects in America.

But in Japan, the places where she can fully use that knowledge are limited.

No matter how much she learned, no matter how capable she was, being a woman meant her options were narrowed.

Behind the glamour of the Rokumeikan lies that frustration.

Naomi sees herself in those words.

She speaks English. She has drive. But the choices available to her as a woman are limited.

So Naomi uses what she has, trying to seize her own future.

Meanwhile, Rin is gradually settling into her work at Mizuho-ya.

Handling unfamiliar imported goods and customers, she works hard.

And she receives her first pay from Uzaburo.

Episode 13 also brings a new character to the Rokumeikan — Naval Lieutenant Kohinata.

He is a new encounter for Naomi. Despite being an American-educated naval lieutenant, he shows a kind of openness that makes him seem almost overwhelmed by the splendor of the Rokumeikan.

Whether this meeting will be a blessing or a warning for Naomi is still unknown.

But Episode 13 was an episode where a fresh wind began to blow for both Rin and Naomi.

Nurse’s Perspective ①: The First Paycheck Is a “Sign of Life Rebuilding”

The first thing I want to highlight in Episode 13 is the scene where Rin receives her first pay.

This isn’t just a scene of receiving money.

Up until now, Rin had lost her home, searched for work, and found herself with nowhere to go while looking after Tama.

She was helped by others, connected to a soup kitchen, taken in by Mizuho-ya, and finally started working.

And now her work is being rewarded with pay.

This is a major step in rebuilding her life.

In modern nursing too, income and work are deeply connected to health.

Having income means being able to choose what to eat. Being able to afford medication and hospital visits. Being able to maintain a home. Being able to support your child’s life. Having some sense of what the future holds.

Conversely, when income is unstable, health is greatly affected.

Postponing doctor visits. Cutting back on medication. Skipping meals. Worsening sleep environment. Heightened stress. Impact on children.

Rin’s first paycheck is her first step out of that instability.

Of course, receiving pay doesn’t solve everything.

Housing, work, childcare, social standing — there are still many challenges ahead.

But earning income through her own effort becomes a great source of strength for Rin.

Nurses want to view a patient’s “work” and “income” as important information about their life background.

Nurse’s Perspective ②: Working Connects to “Dignity”

Work is about more than just earning a living.

Feeling that you are useful to someone. Feeling that you have a place in society. Having more things you can choose for yourself. Being recognized by others.

These things are connected to a person’s dignity.

Through illness, disability, caregiving, childbirth, mental health struggles, or financial hardship, people can lose their roles.

Taking time off work. Being unable to do housework. Losing confidence as a parent. Becoming the one being cared for. Decreasing connection to society.

In those moments, people feel not just physical pain, but a shaking of their dignity.

“I’m being a burden.” “I’m not useful to anyone.” “I’m no longer the person I used to be.”

Many patients feel this way.

What nurses can do isn’t just do everything in their place.

It’s to find together what that person can still do.

For example: Wiping your own face even from bed. Checking your own medication time. Saying what you want to tell your family in your own words. Deciding discharge goals together. Walking one more step than yesterday in rehabilitation.

These may look small, but they are actions that support dignity.

Rin’s first paycheck was exactly that kind of experience — connecting to the feeling that “maybe I can do this.”

Nurse’s Perspective ③: Naomi’s English Ability as a “Strength”

Naomi works at the Rokumeikan using her English.

She isn’t simply a woman in difficulty.

She speaks English. She has courage. She reads the mood of a room. She can act on her own goals. She can operate in new environments.

She has these strengths.

In modern nursing, it’s important to look not just at a patient’s difficulties but at their strengths — what is sometimes called a “strengths-based” approach.

Strengths are a person’s abilities and resources. For example:

Caring deeply for family. Being good at maintaining a daily routine. Having a habit of keeping records. Having someone nearby to rely on. A sense of responsibility toward work. A willingness to listen and understand. Being able to work hard for their children. Being able to consult others.

Naomi’s English ability is exactly a strength.

However, a strength only becomes power when there’s an environment where it can be used.

Even if you can speak English, if there’s no place for you to use it just because you’re a woman, that ability gets buried.

The same is true for patients.

Even if the ability is there, it can’t be expressed if the environment isn’t in place.

Nurses have the role of thinking together with patients about environments where their abilities can flourish.

Nurse’s Perspective ④: Sutematsu’s Words — The Pain of Abilities Going Unused

One of the most striking moments in Episode 13 is learning about Sutematsu’s feelings toward the Rokumeikan.

Sutematsu is a woman who returned to Japan after learning English and academic subjects in America.

But the places where she can fully use that knowledge are limited.

Just by being a woman, the roles available to her in society are narrowed.

This isn’t someone else’s problem for Naomi.

Even in modern times, there are people whose abilities go unused.

Losing a role at work due to illness. Having limited options because of disability. Restricting work due to caregiving or childcare. Being judged by age or gender. Facing barriers of language or systems because of foreign roots. Experiencing bias after mental health difficulties.

These things affect a person’s self-esteem and health.

Nurses need to look beyond diagnoses and symptoms to see what roles the person has lost, and what abilities they have that aren’t being used.

Not just “what can’t they do” — but “what did they actually want to do?” “What ability do they have?” “In what environment could they use their strength?” These are important things to explore together.

Sutematsu’s words showed us the social distortions hiding behind the splendor of the Rokumeikan.

The reason Naomi reacted to them is because she carries the same frustration inside herself.

Nurse’s Perspective ⑤: The Rokumeikan Is Both “Glamorous” and “A Place That Demands Tension”

The Rokumeikan is a glamorous place.

But from a nurse’s perspective, it’s also a place that imposes psychological tension.

Social status. Attire. Language. Etiquette. Gazes. Who is above, who is below. What behavior is correct.

These rules are woven invisibly throughout the space.

Naomi can work at the Rokumeikan because she has English skills and courage.

But not everyone can move naturally in that space.

The same is true in hospitals.

Patients can struggle to speak up in the examination room. They can forget their questions when they’re nervous in front of a doctor. They can hold back their anxiety around nurses. They can say “yes” without truly understanding.

That’s why nurses need to make space for tension to ease.

“You can ask questions later too, it’s okay.” “Was there anything in that explanation that was hard to follow?” “Let’s check through it together while you look at your notes.” “There’s no rush.” “Please don’t hesitate to ask here.”

Creating an atmosphere where patients can speak comfortably is also an important nursing role.

Nurse’s Perspective ⑥: Meeting Kohinata — “First Impressions and Trust”

Episode 13 introduces Naval Lieutenant Kohinata at the Rokumeikan.

Kohinata has an impressive title — American-educated naval lieutenant.

But he also shows a kind of refreshing openness, seeming almost awed by the splendor of the Rokumeikan, and introduces himself to Naomi politely.

Even in a brief scene, his personality comes through.

The first few minutes of meeting a patient matter greatly.

Looking busy. Not making eye contact. Explaining too quickly. Getting a name wrong. Cutting someone off mid-sentence. These alone can make a patient feel “this person is hard to talk to.”

On the other hand: confirming the name. Making eye contact. Greeting briefly. Explaining your purpose. Matching the other person’s pace. Asking about their anxiety.

These things become the entrance to trust.

Kohinata’s appearance is brief, but for Naomi it may have been a meeting where she felt “this person might be a little different.”

Nurses want to be mindful of the first impressions they make on patients.

Nurse’s Perspective ⑦: Rin’s First Paycheck and “Peace of Mind as a Mother”

Rin’s first paycheck matters not just for Rin herself, but for Tama too.

A mother earning income connects to the stability of her child’s life.

Food. Clothing. Shelter. Healthcare. An environment where they can sleep safely. The expression on their mother’s face.

All of these affect a child.

In mother and child support, it’s important to support not just the child, but the caregiver.

Is the caregiver sleeping? Are they eating? Are they able to work? Do they have someone to talk to? Are they blaming themselves too much? Are they financially cornered?

These things are connected to the child’s safety too.

Rin receiving her first paycheck added a small foundation for protecting Tama.

When nurses look at a child’s health, they need to look at the stability of the caregiver’s life at the same time.

Nurse’s Perspective ⑧: How to View Naomi’s “Search for a Marriage Partner”

In Episode 13, Naomi works at the Rokumeikan while searching for a marriage partner.

Viewed through a purely modern lens, this might look a little calculated.

But for women of that era, marriage was a choice that greatly determined their livelihood and social standing.

Naomi isn’t just looking for love.

She’s looking for a way to live.

There are times in nursing when a patient’s or family’s choices are hard to understand from a medical perspective.

Rushing to be discharged. Prioritizing work. Not wanting to depend on family. Avoiding using support systems. Prioritizing daily life over treatment.

But behind those choices, there are that person’s own circumstances.

Money. Family relationships. Past experiences. Embarrassment. Social standing. A role they don’t want to lose.

When viewed as Naomi’s survival strategy, her search for a marriage partner can’t simply be laughed at or judged.

Nurses want to look at “what they’re trying to protect” behind a person’s choices.

Nurse’s Perspective ⑨: The Risk and Background of Hiding One’s Identity

Naomi hides her true identity to become a server at the Rokumeikan.

This is, of course, a risky action.

If discovered, she may lose people’s trust. She may face punishment. She may lose her place of work. She may involve others.

As a modern nurse, it’s not something I can endorse.

But I can think about why Naomi went that far.

In nursing settings too, there are times when patients can’t tell the truth.

Saying they took their medication when they didn’t. Understating how much they drink. Hiding financial hardship. Not mentioning family problems. Denying domestic violence or abuse. Covering up why they couldn’t come in.

When you discover this, simply blaming them for “lying” causes them to become even less able to speak up.

Why couldn’t they say it? Were they afraid of being scolded? Were they embarrassed? Were they afraid of losing support? Didn’t want to admit it even to themselves?

Looking at the background and connecting to the support needed is what matters.

Naomi’s actions aren’t unrelated to the social constraints placed on her.

Seeing the risks, while also seeing the background — this is a perspective nurses need.

Nurse’s Perspective ⑩: Being Recognized Moves People Forward

In Episode 13, both Rin and Naomi are beginning to be seen as people who “work” in their own places.

Rin works at Mizuho-ya and receives her first pay.

Naomi works at the Rokumeikan using her English.

Neither is fully stable yet.

But they’re no longer simply searching for somewhere to go, as they once were.

They’ve started using their own strengths.

For example, to a new nurse: “Your report was more organized than before.” “Your voice toward the patient was calm.” “Checking in while you were unsure was the right call.” “You confirmed things before you moved — I noticed that.”

To a patient: “You’re taking in more fluids than yesterday.” “You let us know about the pain early, so we could respond.” “Trying to remember your medication time — that matters.” “Sharing what you’re worried about after discharge is really helpful.”

Words like these support a person’s self-efficacy.

Rin’s first paycheck, and the fact that Naomi could work at the Rokumeikan — both become experiences for these two of thinking “maybe I can do this.”

Observation Points New Nurses Can Use in Clinical Practice

From Episode 13, here are key observation points new nurses can use in the clinical setting.

1. Has the patient lost their roles?

Illness or hospitalization can cause people to lose the roles they previously held.

Role as a parent. Role at work. Role managing the household. Role in the community. Role as the one supporting the family.

That sense of loss affects mental health.

Asking “What was your life like before you were admitted?” and “Are there roles you’d like to return to after discharge?” is important.

2. Is income or work affecting treatment?

Look not just at whether patients are working, but whether treatment and work can coexist.

Can they come to appointments? Can they afford medication? Can they take time off work? Can they talk to their employer? Are they worried about reduced income? Work and treatment cannot be separated.

3. Are you finding the person’s strengths?

Look at both difficulties and strengths.

Ability to learn. Caring for family. Experience of staying in work. Someone they can consult. Habit of keeping records. Creativity in managing daily life.

When support draws on a person’s strengths, it tends to connect to their actions.

4. Can they speak in tense situations?

Hospitals can be a tense place for patients.

Things they couldn’t say in the examination room. Things they became anxious about after the explanation. Things they think will be difficult once they get home.

Set things up so nurses can pick up on those things.

5. Are you looking at the background behind “lies”?

When a patient says something that doesn’t match the facts, rather than blaming them immediately, look at the background.

There may be a reason they couldn’t say it. Embarrassment, fear, mistrust, anxiety about support systems, family dynamics.

Report Examples for Senior Nurses, Doctors, and MSWs

Here are ready-to-use report examples for new nurses in clinical practice.

When balancing work and treatment is a concern

“The patient hopes to return to work soon after discharge, but seems worried about securing appointment times. They have strong concerns about income, so I’d like to consult with the MSW about the timing of their return to work and available support options.”

When loss of role seems painful

“This patient was responsible for housework and looking after their grandchild before admission, and is currently down, saying ‘I can’t do anything.’ I’d like to increase self-care they can do on the ward, and confirm together what roles they’d like to return to after discharge.”

When there seems to be financial anxiety

“The patient has shared specific concerns about medication costs and transportation to appointments. As this may affect treatment continuity, I’d like to connect them to a specialist to discuss high-cost medical care support systems and other available options.”

When a patient seems to find it hard to say they haven’t been taking medication

“The patient initially said they were taking their medication as prescribed, but on closer questioning, it emerged they’ve had days where they couldn’t take it due to anxiety about side effects and concerns about the cost. Without blaming them, I’d like to clarify the reasons and share this with the doctor.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is it okay to ask about a patient’s work or income?

Yes, it’s fine to ask.

However, it should be done not out of curiosity, but because it’s relevant to treatment continuity and post-discharge life.

Saying “I’m checking whether there are any difficulties with coming to appointments or continuing medication” explains your purpose, which makes it easier for patients to answer.

Q. If a patient says something that doesn’t match the facts, how should you respond?

First, confirm any information related to safety.

Then, ask without blame why they couldn’t say it.

“I’m not asking to scold you — I’m checking so we can keep your treatment safe.” Saying this can make it easier for them to talk.

Q. How is the best way to tell a new nurse about something they did well?

No need for exaggerated praise.

“Your report was more organized.” “You checked in while you were unsure.” “You confirmed with the patient before you moved.” Conveying specific actions as facts tends to lead to the next step.

Q. What should you do when you can’t find a patient’s strengths?

Special talents aren’t necessary.

Caring for family. Trying to take medication at the same time every day. Being able to ask questions. Being able to talk about difficulties. Even these small strengths can be drawn upon in support.

Summary: Episode 13 — An Episode for Thinking About “The Dignity of Work” and “The Power of Being Recognized”

In Episode 13, we saw both Rin and Naomi beginning to work in their own respective places.

Rin works hard at Mizuho-ya and receives her first pay from Uzaburo.

Naomi works at the Rokumeikan using her English, learns of Sutematsu’s feelings, and meets Kohinata.

The glittering Rokumeikan. The steady work at Mizuho-ya. Completely different places — but in both, there is the theme of “living by using one’s own strengths.”

Rin received her first paycheck.

That is a small foundation for supporting her life with Tama.

Naomi is working at the Rokumeikan using her English ability.

That is a challenge she’s taking on to carve out her own future.

Both are still unstable.

But they’ve started using their own strengths.

Nurses too want to cherish the moments when patients, families, and new nurses feel “maybe I can do this.”

That small feeling of reality becomes the next step.

For Shi-chan, Episode 13 was a very important episode for thinking about “the dignity of work” and “the power of being recognized.”

New nurses — please don’t only see yourself through what you couldn’t do.

Something you could do a little better than yesterday. Being able to consult when you were unsure. Noticing a patient’s expression.

That, too, is genuine growth.

And I want to be the kind of nurse who can find and reflect back the strength inside each patient.

English Summary: Episode 13 in 10 Lines

🛒 Shi-chan’s Recommended Resources

If this article was helpful to you, please check out Shi-chan’s other recommended resources for nurses below.

📖 Catch Up on Previous Episodes

Enjoyed this nurse’s-eye view of Episode 13? The story — and the lessons hidden inside it — only get richer when you follow Rin and her friends from the beginning. Pick up any episode below and keep exploring “Kaze, Kaoru” through a nurse’s perspective. Each one stands on its own, so feel free to start wherever you like!

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