A Bet Against the Devil --- Chapter Four

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CHAPTER FOUR

"I'm clear, you're clear, everybody clear?"

"CLEAR!"

I watched the patient's body rise from the shock and then resume it's limp form. I glanced at the cardiac monitor to see any tracing that might indicate return of spontaneous circulation.

Nope.

"Resume CPR!", I ordered, careful to give out clear directions. 

A male nurse was doing the chest compressions, this is already our fifth cycle. The poor woman was found sprawled on the kitchen floor by her husband, in the middle of preparing an evening meal. Her husband wandered off to find out what's taking dinner so long, instead, found a half done dinner with his wife unconscious. 

"Last dose of Epinephrine?" I asked the nurse responsible for drug administration. I just want to make sure that I don't miss out.

"1810H, doctor." she answered. I checked the clock: 1812H.

"Every after 3 minutes, okay? Next dose is in a minute."

"Yes, doc."

"Do you need assistance with that? Swap or anything?" I addressed the nurse holding the bag valve mask.

"No, doc. I got this." He stated firmly, compressing the bag valve to ensure the patient's breathing is not compromised.

I don't usually nag. I know that I just told them that I prefer my Epinephrine interval to be 3 minutes apart, and I know they're smart enough to know that the next is after a minute. But I just want this to be spotless. I do not want anything to go wrong, especially now that Britney is watching over me like a vulture.

UghBritney. The nickname stuck on me. Neri dammit.

"Epi." I nodded at the nurse as a signal to give the drug. 

"Fifth dose of Epinephrine 1mg, given" she declared after giving it and the cycle continues...

Today has been pretty much uneventful. After a row with Neri earlier, I just sat idly at our area, together with the others, waiting for patient assignments. Neri is today's triage doctor, his task is to sort out the patient's needs upon entering the Emergency Room, so he stayed in the front desk, and not with us. Dr. Scott has been filled in by Charlotte and Tracy with hospiital rules and policies, both too happy to oblige. It was a job well done with a bonus of  too much batting of eyelashes, flirty looks and high pitch giggling. Well, the high pitch giggling is Tracy's department alone. I'm just glad to not have to talk to him, especially since I didn't know how to act around him after the events before the start of the shift. After sweetly smiing at him, he returned the act, with the same lack of sincerity and venom. That's it. No more interactions. 

Troy was just glad that Mr. Newbie isn't being a pain in the ass. He keeps throwing annoyed looks at his sister and Charlotte from time to time, but he didn't object. They're being productive, after all. 

The monotony broke when this lady came in, pulseless. Upon inital assesment, she's having a Ventricular Tachycardia. And so starts the whole cycle.

Dr. Scott has been keeping an eye on the whole situation and watching me perform, as he should. Rather than thinking of him as a good boy, I actually want him to look elsewhere and get distracted. I don't want him watching me work! If I do things right, he'd learn a technique or two ---which I am unwiling to share. And ---GOD FORBID THAT I DO--- if I commit a mistake, then that's a huge blow to my ego. What a sick joke it would be, to commit an error in front of the person you don't want to be vulnerable to.

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