Chapter 26: New Beginnings in the Emergency Department

This is the ICU in our Emergency Department – a sealed, sterile environment with eight beds. The equipment is standard: multi-functional monitors, both invasive and non-invasive ventilators, defibrillators, among others. You need to be proficient in using them. If you’re not, come in after hours and learn.

Dr. Xu did not bring them inside.

Strict sterile protocols mean personnel access is tightly controlled.

In principle, family members are not allowed to visit.

Medical staff must also follow strict procedures when entering and exiting.

“You’re still newbies, so you won’t be scheduled for ICU duty for now. I suggest you come in often to learn and assist the on-duty doctors. There’s a lot you can pick up from them,” he said.

The ICU houses critically ill patients who can deteriorate at any moment, requiring experienced doctors to manage emergencies.

Without three to five years of training, it’s nearly impossible for a beginner to handle such responsibilities.

“Come on, I’ll take you to the Operating Room. I’ve heard both of you have solid surgical skills. I really hope you can grow quickly to help alleviate our staffing shortage in the Emergency Department,” he added.

Director Lou had selected the two precisely for their surgical abilities.

He expected them to get right to work.

The three of them entered the Operating Room and changed into surgical protective gear in the changing room.

“Including me, there are four doctors who take turns in the Operating Room. Most of the surgeries are simple – like suturing small wounds or performing appendectomies. We also do exploratory procedures, such as laparotomies and intracranial explorations.”

Dr. Xu gave a brief rundown of the staff in the Operating Room and the types of surgeries typically performed.

These minor procedures were exactly what Zhou Can needed at the moment.

With his current skill level, attempting complex surgeries was out of the question. Starting with simple procedures to quickly accumulate experience and enhance his surgical abilities was the best path forward.

Rome wasn’t built in a day.

You can only eat a meal one bite at a time.

Inside the Operating Room, only one doctor and one nurse were currently attending to a patient.

“This surgical team seems a bit understaffed,” someone remarked.

Zhou Can recalled how, when he shadowed Deputy Director Liu in the Operating Room, there would always be a dozen or more people – doctors at various levels and nurses.

Moreover, the Operating Room is quite cramped, nothing like the spacious one in General Surgery.

The surgical equipment here is very basic, too.

This clearly highlighted the vast gap in capabilities between the Emergency and Surgical Departments.

No wonder the Emergency Department’s status was so low.

It seems the entire Emergency Department could never match up to General Surgery.

Dr. Xu then introduced the team: “This doctor operating now is Dr. Lu, a senior resident. The nurse assisting, Liu Jing, is relatively inexperienced. And here we have Dr. Zhou Can and Dr. Jin Mingxi, the new trainees.”

The doctor performing the surgery paused his work and smiled at the two newcomers.

“Welcome to the Emergency Department,” he said.

“We’ll need to work well together from now on.”

Zhou Can lowered his stance submissively.

“We’re all in the same department and should help each other. Let’s talk after I finish the surgery,” Dr. Lu said, returning his focus to his work.

Zhou Can’s eyes naturally shifted to the patient’s wound.

“This patient was bitten by a dog,” he observed.

Though Dr. Xu wasn’t in the Operating Room, he was well-informed about the patient’s condition.

If he wasn’t mistaken, the supervising doctor in the Operating Room was Dr. Xu, meaning Dr. Lu was operating under his guidance.

One could see that a large chunk of skin and tissue had been torn off the patient’s right calf.

The initial debridement inside the wound was essentially complete.

Seeing an opportunity to gain experience, Zhou Can felt an overwhelming surge of excitement.

It was the perfect chance to showcase his suturing skills right in front of Dr. Xu and, hopefully, earn more chances to practice.

“Dr. Lu, you seem to be having a hard time. How about letting me handle the remaining suturing,” Zhou Can offered.

Zhou Can was never one to let an opportunity slip by.

He shamelessly pressed his case.

Dr. Lu, indeed tired, gladly accepted the offer to have someone share his workload.

For a senior resident like him, suturing skin was not an opportunity he cared much for.

“You’d have to ask Dr. Xu about that. I can’t make the call,” Dr. Lu replied.

Dr. Lu hesitated to agree too readily.

After all, these trainees were beginners – their suturing skills were hardly impressive.

They were brought in by Dr. Xu, so he must have confidence in their abilities.

“Have you sutured before? I’m not talking about practicing on pigskin!” Dr. Xu inquired.

He was well aware that most interns rarely got the chance to practice suturing on actual patients, let alone on important areas.

All of them had come from internships, and Dr. Xu knew how difficult it was for interns to be given genuine practice.

“Doctors, please don’t treat me like a guinea pig for practice!”

The patient was under local anesthesia and fully awake.

Hearing that this young trainee was about to suture his wound, the patient was strongly against it.

“I did suture when I assisted Director Liu in surgery,” Zhou Can explained.

“Director Liu of General Surgery?”

Dr. Xu obviously knew Mr. Liu as well.

“That’s right,” Zhou Can nodded.

“Mr. Liu is a master in General Surgery. His operations are typically high-difficulty, level-three procedures. An intern like you wouldn’t normally be given a chance to suture major areas, would you?”

Without mincing words, Dr. Xu directly challenged Zhou Can in front of the patient.

His piercing gaze fixed intently on Zhou Can.

Clearly, he suspected that Zhou Can was fabricating his experience just to grab an opportunity.

If Dr. Xu became convinced of Zhou Can’s questionable character, he wouldn’t only deny him practice – he’d keep him sidelined permanently.

“Perhaps Mr. Liu trusts me. I once assisted in a neck lymphadenectomy for tuberculosis, where the incision was quite extensive. I spent a long time suturing both the subcutaneous tissue and the skin.”

Zhou Can said this with surprising openness.

He left it to Dr. Xu to verify the details later.

If the department head were to choose based on ability this time, Zhou Can was almost certain that Mr. Liu would personally take him on as an apprentice, focusing on intensive training.

“A neck lymphadenectomy for tuberculosis? That’s nearly a level-four, high-difficulty procedure. Suturing the neck is extremely risky. When Mr. Liu operates, even senior residents typically only assist. They would always prefer to let residents handle suturing tasks. Honestly, I can’t imagine allowing an intern to suture on the neck,” Dr. Xu remarked, his tone severe.

Dr. Xu wasn’t just strict – he was a stickler for details.

What started as a minor issue had now escalated significantly.

“If you really don’t believe me, then there’s nothing I can do. Earlier, I only saw that Dr. Lu was struggling and wanted to help lighten his load. Since you have doubts, I won’t do the suturing this time.”

Zhou Can was at a loss for words. He hadn’t expected to run into such a meticulous superior.

He believed the misunderstanding would clear up sooner or later.

So he wasn’t in too much of a hurry.

“You might not know me well yet. I can tolerate slow progress and subpar skills among my juniors, but I won’t stand for questionable character. Tell me honestly – did you fabricate your experience just to earn extra practice?”

Dr. Xu’s gaze turned cold.

His expression grew even sterner.

It was enough to send a chill down anyone’s spine.

“I didn’t lie,” Zhou Can insisted once more.

He denied it firmly again.

“Admit it now and I might give you a chance. Otherwise, I’ll kick you out of the Emergency Department. And if you’re banking on getting away with it until I uncover the truth, you won’t even last in Tuya.”

Dr. Xu’s tone and expression were uncompromising – if he said it, he meant it.

“I really didn’t lie,” Zhou Can emphasized.

Inside, he cursed silently: does Dr. Xu really have a problem? It was only about a suturing opportunity!

Did it really need to be blown so far out of proportion?

Already feeling dejected about not joining a more prestigious department, he wondered which department would accept him if he got booted from the Emergency Department right off the bat.

“Fine, I’ll call right now. To be honest, I’m on pretty good terms with Mr. Liu,” Zhou Can retorted.

Dr. Xu sneered coldly.

It was clear he had already decided that Zhou Can was lying.

No sooner had he spoken than he pulled out his phone and called Mr. Liu.

Both Dr. Lu at the operating table and the nurse looked at Zhou Can with sympathetic eyes – they seemed used to Dr. Xu’s pedantic behavior.