Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 14

Fifth Vital Sign – Episode 14 (14/502)

Patient Transfer

Knock knock!!

“Doctor?”

As Taekyung was intently studying the odor indicators he had organized on the whiteboard, he suddenly heard a knock and a presence.

“Are you here?”

“Ah, yes. I’m in the examination room.”

Taekyung quickly took a picture of the whiteboard with his phone camera and erased the contents.

“May I come in?”

“Of course. Come in.”

Clang-

“I didn’t know you were in the examination room.”

The person who entered the examination room was Nurse Lim Jeong-sook.

“I was just looking around. The examination room is very clean.”

“It is clean, isn’t it? Do you like the examination room?”

“Yes, I do.”

“The new gown will arrive in two days. And please let me know if you need any supplies for your work.”

“Yes, I will.”

“Oh, right. Your official start date is next week as originally scheduled, right?”

“No. I’ll be in tomorrow.”

“You’re coming in tomorrow? Is it because of the gallbladder surgery patient?”

“It’s my first patient here, and I performed the surgery, so I need to check on them tomorrow.”

Nurse Lim Jeong-sook wore a pleased expression. Taekyung’s response, which seemed obvious, was not always the case.

Doctors are human too, and they want to rest just like everyone else. Not all doctors volunteer for duty because of a patient they operated on. Especially when it’s not even their official start date.

‘A veteran doctor still has that kind of passion.’

Lim Jeong-sook has been a nurse for 20 years. She has worked with countless doctors during that time. You can know ten things from one. The same goes for people.

“Still, it’s before your official start date and a day off, so aren’t you pushing yourself too hard?”

“I don’t have much to do at home anyway. It’s good to adapt quickly.”

Taekyung’s small actions gave Nurse Lim Jeong-sook a sense of unlimited trust in him as a doctor.

“Originally, Dr. Lee Chan-hee is on duty tomorrow.”

“Lee Chan-hee?”

As soon as Taekyung heard Lee Chan-hee’s name, the image of him running away from the operating room kept popping into his head.

“Actually, there’s one patient transfer tomorrow. Dr. Lee was supposed to go, and Dr. Jung Eui-jin was going to come in.”

“I’ll go for the transfer. And tell Dr. Lee to take the day off tomorrow.”

“Are you worried because Dr. Lee fainted today?”

As expected, 20 years of experience is scary. I can’t possibly say no.

It was out of concern, but I couldn’t help but think that he might faint while transferring the patient.

“I can’t say that’s not the case.”

“Then I’ll let Dr. Lee know. You had a tough initiation ceremony today, so go home and rest.”

“Okay. See you tomorrow.”

From the poop man to the emergency patient and the surgery he struggled with alone. Come to think of it, he came to familiarize himself with the hospital and ended up having a proper initiation ceremony.

“I need to go home and get some sleep.”

Taekyung decided to catch up on sleep for tomorrow.

* * *

“Dr. Lee, I’m going in.”

After leaving the examination room, Nurse Lim Jeong-sook went to the on-call room to see Lee Chan-hee.

“Why is someone getting IV fluids getting up? You should be lying down.”

“What good is it for a guy who ran away from the operating room to even get IV fluids?”

“Hey, why do you say such things? Are you feeling better? Are you dizzy or anything?”

“I’m fine now. When I collapsed in the hospital hallway and woke up, I felt so pathetic…….”

Lee Chan-hee felt frustrated and pathetic with himself.

“Still, don’t call yourself pathetic. Dr. Lee! Cheer up.”

“He must be very angry, right? He was very angry with me after the surgery.”

“He wasn’t angry at Dr. Lee as a person, but at the fact that you didn’t handle the situation wisely.”

“That’s a nice interpretation. I think I buttoned the first button wrong [messed up from the start]. But it’s natural for him to be angry. Ha!”

“Actually, I’m coming from Dr. Kim’s examination room.”

“Really? Did he say anything?”

“He didn’t say anything special, and oh, Dr. Lee, you have tomorrow off.”

“Off? I’m on duty tomorrow, and there’s a patient transfer too.”

“Dr. Kim volunteered to be on duty to check on the surgery patient. He’s going for the transfer himself, so you can rest.”

“I didn’t expect to have a day off.”

There’s no doctor who would refuse a day off. But Lee Chan-hee’s expression wasn’t so bright when he heard he could rest.

“In my 20 years as a nurse, this is the first time I’ve seen a doctor personally give IV fluids to a junior who’s sick. So stop worrying and go home and rest.”

Nurse Lim Jeong-sook took out the finished IV drip and left the on-call room.

“I wanted to go for Grandpa Kim’s transfer myself…….”

* * *

The next day, Taekyung, who came to work, checked on the patient he had operated on the day before and the transfer patient before returning to the examination room.

The transfer patient was a case where a child living in the countryside requested a transfer to a hospital in their area.

“78-year-old male, Enteritis [inflammation of the small intestine], stage 1, sour smell.”

Taekyung was updating the odor information he had smelled from the patient before the transfer.

“I’ve taken care of the enteritis, so the cause of the smell isn’t enteritis.”

The elderly patient, who was hospitalized with acute enteritis, had underlying conditions related to high blood pressure, diabetes, and the prostate. It wasn’t serious, and the diseases were at a level that could be controlled with medication.

Since there were no more enteritis symptoms, the smell must be due to the remaining underlying conditions.

“Still, it’s fortunate that the patient is elderly but doesn’t have any major illnesses.”

Shortly after, Taekyung, who received a call that a private ambulance would arrive soon, finished preparing and left the examination room.

“Hello.”

As soon as he left the examination room, Lee Chan-hee, who was standing in front of the door, called him. In fact, Lee Chan-hee had been waiting for Taekyung to come out.

“Doctor!”

Lee Chan-hee, who closely followed Taekyung, who was passing by, called him again.

“I’m really sorry about yesterday.”

“How’s your body?”

“I’m perfectly fine.”

“Dr. Lee, you have today off.”

“I have…… some business at the hospital.”

“Then take care of your business.”

“Doctor, can’t I go for the Kim Sang-gu patient transfer? I’ll go.”

“No.”

“Doctor, please. I promised the patient.”

“Still no.”

Unlike his constant requests, Taekyung’s answer was the opposite. It wasn’t just because he ran away from the operating room that he was against it.

“You know why I’m saying no, right?”

“I know what you’re worried about. I’m really okay. I just fainted lightly because I was nervous.”

“That’s right. A vasovagal syncope [fainting due to a sudden drop in heart rate and blood pressure] is a mild symptom that anyone can experience when they’re nervous. But I can’t entrust a patient transfer to a doctor who left the operating room with the patient.”

“I will never let that happen again.”

“How are you going to do it?”

“Yes?”

“How are you going to do it?”

“I’m still thinking about how to do it, but I will definitely fix it.”

“If Dr. Lee gets nervous and faints while going for the transfer due to an unexpected event, and if an emergency occurs to the patient in that situation, who will be responsible for the patient’s safety then?”

“That’s…….”

The conversation that had been going on for a long time was cut off by Taekyung’s sharp question.

“I’ve never seen how Dr. Lee works. It’s hard to trust Dr. Lee’s words now with that appearance yesterday.”

It was good to see him trying to keep his promise to the patient as a doctor, but he couldn’t allow it.

Taekyung was entrusted with the hospital by Kim Cheol-gi. That was the same as entrusting him with the safety and responsibility of all the patients who came to the hospital.

“You have nothing more to say, right?”

“…….”

“There’s not a single thing that’s wrong from beginning to end. Isn’t that right, Dr. Jung?”

“Of course. It’s not wrong, it’s irrefutable.”

Eui-jin and Nurse Lim Jeong-sook suddenly appeared, wondering when they had been listening.

“Dr. Lee also knows, but Dr. Kim came as the person in charge of the hospital. That’s why he’s being more careful.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Doctor, how about this? How about you two go together?”

“Oh my, that’s good. Good idea.”

Eui-jin reacted greatly to Nurse Lim Jeong-sook’s words and gave strength to Lee Chan-hee.

“Jo Mal-rye’s surgery is going well, and the hospital is being reorganized until this week, so there won’t be a rush of patients.”

“That’s right. Dr. Jung and I will take good care of the hospital.”

“For your information, I don’t have vasovagal syncope at all, and I had a health checkup this year and I’m very healthy.”

“Same here. Dr. Lee?”

Nurse Lim Jeong-sook, who was watching Taekyung’s mood, nudged Lee Chan-hee’s arm and continued.

“It’s almost time for the car to come, can you help the patient move?”

“Of course.”

Lee Chan-hee hastened his steps, watching Taekyung’s mood, and followed Nurse Lim Jeong-sook.

“Strangely, I feel like I’ve been had [tricked].”

“The position of the leader is always difficult. You did a good job, senior.”

“How long have you been listening?”

“Um…… from the beginning. Dr. Lee asked me to help.”

“I’ve been had. But what’s the reason?”

“Actually, Lee Chan-hee is very nosy with patients. He has a lot of affection and is kind. He is.”

“He seems like it.”

“The patient being transferred today is a person who used to sell Bungeoppang [Korean fish-shaped pastry filled with sweet red bean paste].”

Taekyung was able to hear the circumstances of Lee Chan-hee and the transfer patient from Eui-jin.

Patients who became ill while running their business often came to the hospital by 119 [Korean emergency number, like 911].

Each time, Lee Chan-hee came to see them and became deeply attached to the patient.

* * *

“Are you uncomfortable, patient?”

Taekyung was constantly checking to see if the patient, who was lying down and wearing a seat belt, was uncomfortable.

“Not at all. I’m not uncomfortable at all. More than that, thank you, doctor.”

“Yes?”

“I heard everything. Dr. Lee can’t go with me today, but you allowed it.”

At the patient’s words, Lee Chan-hee, who was right next to him, avoided his gaze as if he was embarrassed.

“I’m moving the hospital to Daejeon, where my son is, so I thought it was the last time, so I asked.”

“Last time? If I have anything to do in Daejeon, I’ll go see you, grandpa.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. See one more patient instead of coming to see me. Doctor, if Dr. Lee is slacking off, just give him a good scolding.”

“Yes, patient. I will definitely do that.”

-The vehicle has passed through the Hi-Pass [Korean electronic toll collection system]. The balance is 53,000 won.

After exchanging those words, after some time, the private ambulance exited the highway.

“The patient is sleeping well.”

In the meantime, Taekyung checked on the patient, and just as Lee Chan-hee, who was dozing off, was about to answer.

“That’s right. Really well…… Ugh!”

“……!”

Not only Lee Chan-hee, who was speaking, but also Taekyung and the patient who was lying down and sleeping. Their bodies were severely tilted against gravity and barely found their place.

“Are you okay, patient?”

“Yes…… I’m okay.”

Taekyung quickly checked on the patient first.

“Dr. Lee, are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

It would have been quite dangerous if he hadn’t been wearing a seat belt. It was because the car suddenly tried to stop abruptly.

Tuk-

“I’m sorry. Is everyone okay?”

The private ambulance driver opened a small window and asked with a flustered look.

“It’s okay. What’s wrong?”

“The car in front of me suddenly stopped abruptly, so I stepped on the brakes.”

Taekyung turned his head and checked outside the car window. It wasn’t wrong.