Chapter 24: Crisis in the Emergency Room

It seems we can’t rely on this so-called cardiology ‘master’.

Fortunately, Zhou Can has already pinpointed the reason behind the child’s shock.

“Director, I think I’ve found why the patient went into shock,” Zhou Can said as he stepped up to Director Lou.

Everyone looked at him in disbelief.

Even Dr. He from cardiology hadn’t been able to uncover the cause. As a junior resident barely spending a few minutes in the ER, if he had solved it, he’d have been nothing short of a genius.

“Who is this?”

Dr. He noted Zhou Can’s youth and wondered if he was a prodigy or simply a greenhorn.

Usually, some newcomers, overly confident and eager to show off, end up making outlandish diagnoses that turn into a joke.

“Oh, let me introduce you all—these two are new residents in our Emergency Department. This is Zhou Can and this is Jin Mingxi.” Director Lou, rushed from saving a life earlier, hadn’t had time to introduce them.

“Oh—so he’s a rookie. No wonder his comments are so ‘colorful’!”

Dr. He smirked in obvious derision.

That cheek of his was just asking for trouble.

Zhou Can didn’t bother to retort.

Instead, he replied earnestly to Director Lou, “Director, I suspect that the child’s shock might be linked to the Ganmaoling Capsules he took.”

At that, Director Lou’s hopeful expression quickly dimmed.

But he wasn’t disappointed.

He’d never really expected this new trainee to solve the mystery of the child’s shock.

“Little Zhou, your suspicions are commendable. But let me tell you, in all the years Ganmaoling Capsules have been on the market, there hasn’t been a single case of shock.”

Director Lou sighed inwardly.

Other department heads were scrambling for residents with high credentials—it wasn’t without reason.

Even though Zhou Can, the top scorer in the resident exams, was notoriously poor at pathology diagnosis and analysis.

“Listen, kid—diagnosing isn’t child’s play! You have to consider the patient’s symptoms, match them with examination data, and then apply your vast medical knowledge with precision. You should read more; otherwise, you’ll just embarrass yourself. Right?”

As Dr. He taunted Zhou Can, he kept glancing at his phone.

Was he really trying to get online help?

His jibes were just a hollow attempt to buy time.

“Director, take a look at this medicine. I just got it from the patient’s family. It isn’t the authentic 999 Ganmaoling Capsules—it’s a counterfeit,” Zhou Can said, steadying himself as he handed over the box.

“I can’t believe it. Let me see!”

Director Lou’s face turned serious as he took the medicine and examined it closely.

“Damn it, it really is a counterfeit!” he exclaimed, not holding back his curse in front of everyone.

“I questioned the family thoroughly. The child took four pills in total—two last night and two this morning. That’s an adult dose. What’s scarier, this shady pharmaceutical company likely bumped up the acetaminophen content to boost effectiveness. The child’s symptoms mirror those seen in acetaminophen allergy shock.”

Zhou Can detailed the entire sequence of events meticulously.

Everyone was left utterly stunned.

Who would have thought that the child’s shock was caused by counterfeit Ganmaoling Capsules?

“Good job, kid! While everyone else failed to figure it out, you cracked the case. Haha, our Emergency Department has struck gold today,” Director Lou beamed.

With the cause of the shock identified, the child now had a real chance at recovery.

This Zhou Can turned out to be a hundred times more capable than anyone had expected.

Earlier, Director Lou had lamented recruiting two low-credential residents; now, he realized he’d hit the jackpot with Zhou Can.

Double blessings had him practically overjoyed.

“Treat the patient like you’re fighting a raging fire—start anti-allergy treatment immediately.”

The patient needed urgent care.

Director Lou immediately ordered medications including calcium and vitamin B, specifically targeting an acetaminophen-induced allergy.

“Director, this is still just a theory. Wouldn’t it be more cautious to perform a gastric content analysis before finalizing the treatment plan?” Dr. He interjected.

Dr. He tried to dissuade him.

“The child may be in shock, but there’s enough time for a test. Rushing into risky treatment on the basis of a trainee’s words is irresponsible. I can’t afford to be held accountable if something goes wrong.”

He had been called in for consultation from the Emergency Department.

If things went south, he’d undoubtedly be dragged into the mess.

“Hypothesis? Dr. Zhou has already carried out an in-depth diagnosis, and here you are fussing over a gastric content test. What’re you thinking? Don’t listen to him—treat the patient now!”

Director Lou, with decades of experience, knew exactly how to handle this.

Dr. He had always been a bit unpopular for arriving almost twenty minutes late for the consultation in the Emergency Department. And when he did show up, he wasn’t much help.

Now that Zhou Can had diagnosed the issue, Dr. He was still rambling.

What use was he, anyway?

Besides, the child’s condition was already critical. Must we stick to rigid testing protocols that might delay treatment until it’s too late?

“Dr. He, if you’re too worried about taking responsibility, fine—if something goes wrong, our Emergency Department will handle it ourselves. And if you’re busy, why don’t you just get back to work?” Director Lou added, almost implying, “stay out of our way.”

Hurry up and leave.

Dr. He’s face turned a ghastly mix of green and white.

He had come in with an air of grandeur, only to have his skills fall short and his posturing backfire in front of a trainee.

His status plummeted instantly.

Walking out now would mean he’d be ridiculed back in his department.

Or he could stay, anxious about being implicated if something went wrong, which would be terribly awkward.

Gritting his teeth, he decided to watch the situation a bit longer before leaving.

That way, he’d have a proper explanation when he got back.

“Wow, the child’s blood pressure is climbing, and the convulsions are easing. The anti-allergy treatment is working.”

“Excellent!”

Director Lou exhaled a long, relieved sigh.

A rare, genuine smile broke across his face.

Even the usually stern Dr. Xu couldn’t help but smile.

The atmosphere in the ER shifted, the tension giving way to a more relaxed air.

A crisis had just been averted by Zhou Can.

“Your methods were too risky and bypassed proper procedures,” Dr. He insisted, clinging to his pride.

“Well, our emergency docs didn’t have much formal schooling. For us, any life-saving method is a good method,” one of them shot back.

“Dr. He, you haven’t left yet? Just so you know, we in the Emergency Department never engage in empty theorizing,” the nurse retorted sharply.

Everyone had long been fed up with him.

And this Dr. He, lacking any self-awareness, not only refused to leave but continued his verbal tirade.

In terms of rank, both Director Lou and attending Dr. Xu outrank him. In experience, they’re older too.

What right did he have to dictate orders?

The doctors tried to maintain a semblance of courtesy, hoping for future cooperation.

But the nurse didn’t hold back her criticism.

Next time, they’d simply call in a cardiologist for the consultation.

“Let’s go—time to leave!”

Unable to withstand her, Dr. He quickly conceded.

Before leaving, he still attempted to polish his image.

“I was really worried that your anti-allergy treatment might fail or push the patient into even greater danger, which is why I hesitated to leave. I wanted to be on standby in case something happened. Now that I see the patient improving, I’m relieved. Goodbye.”

Before departing, Dr. He deliberately gave Zhou Can several lingering looks.

It seemed he wanted to remember this extraordinary trainee.

Among all the residents he’d encountered, none had impressed him like Zhou Can.

Watching Dr. He scurry away in embarrassment, everyone exchanged smiles. Today, they’d all vented a good deal of frustration.

Cardiology doctors are usually so arrogant, but they rarely get taken down a peg.

Often, during consultations, internists are the authoritative voices, usually summing up discussions with final remarks.

But this time, rookie resident Zhou Can had taken charge.

He restored honor to the Emergency Department.

“Director, the child’s oxygen levels are up, and the heart rate is dropping.”

“Haha, excellent. Once the child regains full consciousness and stability, tell the family not to take him home just yet. We’ll reserve a bed for him in the observation area for further cold treatment.”

Director Lou quickly laid out a series of orders.

The child’s shock was due to an overdose combined with an allergic reaction to acetaminophen.

Now, the shock has been resolved.

The child still battles a cold, so treatment for the cold follows.

He dared not allow the family to take the child home and jeopardize all their efforts.

If another mishap occurred, all their hard work would have been in vain.

At a hospital like Tuya—a provincial top-tier facility—ordinary cases are rarely admitted due to a bed shortage.

Under these special circumstances, keeping the child in the ER’s observation area was the best option.

“Little Zhou, your careful attention has earned you major credit. Rest assured, I won’t forget your contribution,” declared Director Lou, whose looks might be plain but whose straightforward nature was admirable.

Working under such a leader was a privilege.

Much better than those two-faced bosses.

“Thank you for your guidance, Director Lou.”

Seeing his candid nature, Zhou Can didn’t hesitate to accept.

Any reluctance would only seem insincere.

It would come off as hypocritical.

Remember this credit—it could lead to better opportunities for further studies or promotion.

“Once you’re in the Emergency Department, we’re like family. No need for formalities. I’ll have Dr. Xu take you and Jin Mingxi under his wing,” Director Lou then turned to Dr. Xu.

Following such a strict superior, Zhou Can’s heart pounded.

He wasn’t afraid of much—just getting scolded.

“Old Xu, please guide them diligently for about half a month until they can handle tasks on their own. Handing them over to you will let me rest easier.”

Director Lou clearly trusted Dr. Xu.

Whether treating patients or supervising residents, he felt completely at ease.

“Alright.”

Dr. Xu nodded solemnly in agreement.

“From now on, you two will follow Dr. Xu. I must warn you—Dr. Xu is known for his strictness. Be prepared for plenty of scolding.”

“Understood. And I definitely won’t be scolding anyone,” Zhou Can replied with a blank expression.

Dr. Xu corrected him matter-of-factly.

It wasn’t long before the child regained consciousness. Outside, when the family learned the child was out of danger, they burst into tears of joy.

They repeatedly thanked the doctors.

Their previous unruly behavior was completely transformed.

Often, tensions between doctors and patients stem from treatment failing to meet expectations.

But if the patient is truly healed, hardly anyone will raise a fuss.

Only a few outliers—eccentric patients or family members—ever do.

When Zhou Can emerged from the ER, the child’s mother stepped forward, thanking him repeatedly.

This filled Zhou Can with satisfaction and a deep sense of accomplishment.

Had the child not been saved, it would have been a devastating blow to the family.

Saving the child was like saving an entire family.

……

When Dr. He returned to the Internal Medicine Building, he encountered Director Tan, who was picking up residents.

Trailing behind him were five newly selected residents.

“Good day, Director Tan!”

Dr. He, who had been haughty in the ER, now acted as humble as can be in front of the head of internal medicine.

People can be so pragmatic.

“Oh, Dr. He, you’re back from consultation? Next time, when we call you over, don’t delay. Director Lou in the Emergency Department even called me because of your tardiness. People might think our Internal Medicine lacks decorum and is overly arrogant. That would reflect poorly on all of us with the hospital leadership.”

Director Tan was well aware of his doctors’ shortcomings and gave him a good scolding.

“Understood.”

Dr. He offered no excuses.

Arguing with a superior when being reprimanded is a big taboo—it only worsens their opinion of you.

Sincerely accepting criticism is the only right path.

“I saw how dejected you looked earlier—was that because the child wasn’t saved?” Director Tan asked with concern.

Seeing his sincere demeanor, Director Tan’s face softened.

“The child was saved.”

“Then why do you look as if you’ve been beaten? Did the family hit you?” Director Tan asked, his tone full of genuine concern.