Authors Note: This chapter is written by Abby Lockhart2, please read and review and tell us what we can improve on the story, or what you'd like to see happen! PLease review thankS!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey also sorry for posting chp 7 twice, my bad it was a lack of concetration on my part and im very sorry for the delay, I hope oyu enjoy!
~*~
I walked into work that morning sleep deprived and achy. I just couldn't fall asleep, and I couldn't lie in bed, so I decided to get dressed and go out for a job. Now I realize that was a huge mistake. My back was hurting like never before, along with my calves. Never again. Just never again. I clocked in, slowly limping due to sore muscles. I grabbed the first chart, a woman about 43 with way too many medical problems to count, along with some psychiatrist disorder. I didn't feel like dealing with anything too stressful or time consuming today. A few laques, some traumas, maybe a few fevers and chills. Nothing that involved expensive and time consuming tests or dealing with querulous patients. I saw Dr. Lockhart walking towards the desk, pulling her hair up into a quick bun. I looked at her, and started to head over there. I handed her the chart.
"I want to see what you can do."
She finished with her hair, which probably couldn't have taken any more time, and grabbed the chart from me. She scanned the first page, the second, and I saw this look that pretty much told me she was as thrilled as a person going for a root canal. I smirked inwardly. We all had our share of annoying patients. Your turn sweetie. She rolled her eyes at me and turned around to head to exam one. I grabbed the next chart. A woman cut her hand with a knife trying to slice a bagel. Smart. Very smart. But it was something I needed. Nothing big, just irrigation and simple suture. I was about to head over to the woman when I heard my name being called. I whipped around to see Bryce jogging towards me.
"Hey Bryce."
He looked like he was out of breath and I waited for him to start to breathe again normally.
"Are you busy?"
I cocked my head from side to side, debating whether this woman with the bleeding hand could wait, but the doctor inside me told me I needed to really start working.
"Actually, I sort of am right now, but I'm free for lunch. Ask your mother if it would be okay for you to go with me?"
I watched him nod his head, as if he was about to run and ask her that very moment. I ruffled his hair up a bit just before leaving him at the desk and heading to the bagel woman.
The bagel woman was actually really sweet and kind, and I really didn't want to leave her. She was so full of compliments, I was growing a bit red. I signed off on her chart, and told her to come back in about a week to get the stitches removed. I headed over to the board to see how everything was progressing. I had about 8 patients signed up due to Susan. And Dr. Lockhart had one. That was not fair to everyone else who were working their asses off trying to discharge patients. I grabbed my ninth chart, and headed off to see what was taking her so long. I walked into the room, and saw her sitting there, talking to the woman. I cleared my throat, getting both their attentions, and threw my head back, signalling for her to follow me outside.
"What the hell is taking you so long?"
That came out a bit more hostile than I had planned.
"I'm taking a history."
Histories did not take over 20 minutes. In twenty minutes I could get at least 3 patients seen and discharged.
"Well it's taking too long. Treat her main problem and get her out of here. We need the bed."
I saw a bit of anger in her eyes. She probably wasn't used to authority. This one would need a little breaking in.
"She has multiple problems."
I closed my eyes, running my hand through my hair in frustration.
"Why is she here, what was she admitted to the ER for?"
She glanced at her chart quickly.
"Bladder infection."
I breathed out forcefully.
"Treat her for that and send her to the clinic."
I saw her begin to pout just a bit.
"She has several underlying medical factors."
Couldn't she just listen to me.
"I don't give a damn what other things may be wrong with her. Treat her for the bladder infection and discharge. I'm giving you the next five charts, so I suggest you hurry the hell up, now."
I said it so nonchalantly, that I left her in a state of confusion for a few seconds. I turned around heading towards main desk to grab and bring to her five charts. I heard something mumbled a few feet behind me, but I couldn't make out what it was, I'd rather not know. So I'll just give her six charts instead of five. We're starting to back up, and there's just no time for this silly little psychiatrist game she plays.
I had the charts ready and headed back to the exam room. I walked in to find her, yet once again, sitting and talking with the woman. Did she understand English? I walked up close to her, she knew I was there. I handed her the charts, and walked around to the other side of the bed.
"Hi, I'm Dr. Carter, I'm going to be taking over for Dr. Lockhart who just happens to be a bit overwhelmed by other work."
I saw her give me an evil glance like she was ready to pounce at any second. I snatched the chart from her hand, and quickly filled orders to get her on medication for the bladder infection. In less than 5 minutes I was done with something that had taken her over 25 minutes, and she still hadn't even gotten halfway done. I signed off on the chart and headed out of the room, the nurse running to fill the orders. I got halfway towards my next patient when I heard her yell my name.
"Dr. Carter!"
I rolled my eyes and turned around to face her.
"Yes?"
I was too tired to be dealing with this right now.
"What the hell do you think your doing? That was MY patient."
I was doing what a doctor is supposed to do, treating her.
"She had a bladder infection. Treat her, street her. This isn't a private practice."
She gave me another one of her glares.
"I never got through with the history."
I started to turn around, apparently done with this conversation.
"Well your next patients are either drunks or druggies, so enjoy the silence when it comes."
I walked away, leaving her standing there, extremely furious at me. Oh well. That's the way the ball rolls. She needs to do her job. And since I"m her supervisor, she's under my watch, my care, my responsibility. More like a burden. But she better get her act together, or else she's quickly going to hightail it out of here. County's not for socialization or patient-doctor interaction. It's about treating the millions that come through these doors, knowing that you'll probably never see them again.
Hey also sorry for posting chp 7 twice, my bad it was a lack of concetration on my part and im very sorry for the delay, I hope oyu enjoy!
~*~
I walked into work that morning sleep deprived and achy. I just couldn't fall asleep, and I couldn't lie in bed, so I decided to get dressed and go out for a job. Now I realize that was a huge mistake. My back was hurting like never before, along with my calves. Never again. Just never again. I clocked in, slowly limping due to sore muscles. I grabbed the first chart, a woman about 43 with way too many medical problems to count, along with some psychiatrist disorder. I didn't feel like dealing with anything too stressful or time consuming today. A few laques, some traumas, maybe a few fevers and chills. Nothing that involved expensive and time consuming tests or dealing with querulous patients. I saw Dr. Lockhart walking towards the desk, pulling her hair up into a quick bun. I looked at her, and started to head over there. I handed her the chart.
"I want to see what you can do."
She finished with her hair, which probably couldn't have taken any more time, and grabbed the chart from me. She scanned the first page, the second, and I saw this look that pretty much told me she was as thrilled as a person going for a root canal. I smirked inwardly. We all had our share of annoying patients. Your turn sweetie. She rolled her eyes at me and turned around to head to exam one. I grabbed the next chart. A woman cut her hand with a knife trying to slice a bagel. Smart. Very smart. But it was something I needed. Nothing big, just irrigation and simple suture. I was about to head over to the woman when I heard my name being called. I whipped around to see Bryce jogging towards me.
"Hey Bryce."
He looked like he was out of breath and I waited for him to start to breathe again normally.
"Are you busy?"
I cocked my head from side to side, debating whether this woman with the bleeding hand could wait, but the doctor inside me told me I needed to really start working.
"Actually, I sort of am right now, but I'm free for lunch. Ask your mother if it would be okay for you to go with me?"
I watched him nod his head, as if he was about to run and ask her that very moment. I ruffled his hair up a bit just before leaving him at the desk and heading to the bagel woman.
The bagel woman was actually really sweet and kind, and I really didn't want to leave her. She was so full of compliments, I was growing a bit red. I signed off on her chart, and told her to come back in about a week to get the stitches removed. I headed over to the board to see how everything was progressing. I had about 8 patients signed up due to Susan. And Dr. Lockhart had one. That was not fair to everyone else who were working their asses off trying to discharge patients. I grabbed my ninth chart, and headed off to see what was taking her so long. I walked into the room, and saw her sitting there, talking to the woman. I cleared my throat, getting both their attentions, and threw my head back, signalling for her to follow me outside.
"What the hell is taking you so long?"
That came out a bit more hostile than I had planned.
"I'm taking a history."
Histories did not take over 20 minutes. In twenty minutes I could get at least 3 patients seen and discharged.
"Well it's taking too long. Treat her main problem and get her out of here. We need the bed."
I saw a bit of anger in her eyes. She probably wasn't used to authority. This one would need a little breaking in.
"She has multiple problems."
I closed my eyes, running my hand through my hair in frustration.
"Why is she here, what was she admitted to the ER for?"
She glanced at her chart quickly.
"Bladder infection."
I breathed out forcefully.
"Treat her for that and send her to the clinic."
I saw her begin to pout just a bit.
"She has several underlying medical factors."
Couldn't she just listen to me.
"I don't give a damn what other things may be wrong with her. Treat her for the bladder infection and discharge. I'm giving you the next five charts, so I suggest you hurry the hell up, now."
I said it so nonchalantly, that I left her in a state of confusion for a few seconds. I turned around heading towards main desk to grab and bring to her five charts. I heard something mumbled a few feet behind me, but I couldn't make out what it was, I'd rather not know. So I'll just give her six charts instead of five. We're starting to back up, and there's just no time for this silly little psychiatrist game she plays.
I had the charts ready and headed back to the exam room. I walked in to find her, yet once again, sitting and talking with the woman. Did she understand English? I walked up close to her, she knew I was there. I handed her the charts, and walked around to the other side of the bed.
"Hi, I'm Dr. Carter, I'm going to be taking over for Dr. Lockhart who just happens to be a bit overwhelmed by other work."
I saw her give me an evil glance like she was ready to pounce at any second. I snatched the chart from her hand, and quickly filled orders to get her on medication for the bladder infection. In less than 5 minutes I was done with something that had taken her over 25 minutes, and she still hadn't even gotten halfway done. I signed off on the chart and headed out of the room, the nurse running to fill the orders. I got halfway towards my next patient when I heard her yell my name.
"Dr. Carter!"
I rolled my eyes and turned around to face her.
"Yes?"
I was too tired to be dealing with this right now.
"What the hell do you think your doing? That was MY patient."
I was doing what a doctor is supposed to do, treating her.
"She had a bladder infection. Treat her, street her. This isn't a private practice."
She gave me another one of her glares.
"I never got through with the history."
I started to turn around, apparently done with this conversation.
"Well your next patients are either drunks or druggies, so enjoy the silence when it comes."
I walked away, leaving her standing there, extremely furious at me. Oh well. That's the way the ball rolls. She needs to do her job. And since I"m her supervisor, she's under my watch, my care, my responsibility. More like a burden. But she better get her act together, or else she's quickly going to hightail it out of here. County's not for socialization or patient-doctor interaction. It's about treating the millions that come through these doors, knowing that you'll probably never see them again.