Medical Emergency (part 2)

Posted on Sat Jul 15th, 2017 @ 1:42pm by Lieutenant Alexandra Alves M.D. & Lieutenant JG Lita Williams M.D. & Chief Warrant Officer Jemner
Edited on on Sat Jul 15th, 2017 @ 1:45pm

1,101 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Pulling Together
Location: Sickbay

[CONTINUED]

[OLD]

Lita wiped her forehead with the back of her arm, her hands slick in Vulcan blood. She exchanged a look with the nurse across the bed from her, who had placed their patient's clothing into a nearby storage bin. The ACMO breathed an exasperated sigh. "This has been quite the first day."

[NEW]

After checking the operation room being prepared for a second, Alex rushed back to the patient, finding her assistant apparently struggling with something. "What happened?", she looked at Lita with a surprised and worrying face, then back to the biobed, checking the patient's readings. "Her condition appears to be stable now. At least for the moment."

"She went into V-Fib, Doctor," Lita explained. "Electro-cardio stimulation has stabilized her heart rate, but her blood pressure is so low that I'm afraid she might have another episode at any moment."

"We must operate immediately.", Alex replied to the worrying news, "Mr. Jemnar has prepared the operating room.", then she looked at her colleague with a faint smile, "The hard part of your first day is just beginning."

"If you want to get into your surgical scrubs, Doctor, I'll have her moved straight away."

"Let's move her there together.", Alexandra said with a friendly nod.

Lita hesitated a moment. In her last posting the CMO would never have allowed himself to participate in such a menial task. "Yes, of course. Thank you, Doctor." She looked over to the waiting nurse who had pushed in the transfer sled that would bring T'Pral to surgery. "Please clear the way to the OR," she asked him. Crouching slightly, Williams reached over to the bedside control and activated the anti-grav. Both doctors braced their hands on the lift handles that would detach the upper part of the bed from the larger base. Lita nodded at Alexandra. "One. Two. Three."

Softtouch was just finishing the adjustments to the Operating room, with both hands busy it was becoming harder to give a status; luckily he had a reputation so words are not needed. The room was ready for surgery on a Vulcan; the blood adaptations and specialized equipment had been connected , the fields are energized and the trays with the insturments prepped.

[All clear.] HE quickly signed for the translator speakers to relay his words for the Doctors to hear.

The CMO and her assistant brought T'Pral into surgery on the anti-grave sled. Once their patient was safely transported to the operating table proper, Lita fetched a surgical gown for herself and handed one to Alex. She then pulled a monitor over to her side and tapped away at the screen. "Mapping the damage to her circulatory system. I'm identifying the most critical sections for us to start our work," she said, and she began pulling her own gown on.

"Good.", Alex nodded as she started to dress up, "If we can stop the internal bleeding and repair the arteries we're on a good start."

Being trained in medical Softtouch went to automatic; he could sense their surface ambient projections, but more so he knew how to work in a triage and operating room. Putting the trays of instruments closest to the table itself and easy access for the two doctors Softtouch did his tasks with an automated training that came from his wanting to heal and help where he could. While himself gowned to be ready he moved to the Doctors, first Alves he helped her by tying the back of the Surgical clothing where needed, alternating between the doctors to help them get prepared quickly. He could not take time to speak but he could show in actions how well he could assist them. After helping gown them he stood back near the instruments ready to pass along the requested items as a Good Nurse is trained to do.

Lita shared a look with Alves, her features belying how impressed she was so far with the nurse assigned to this surgery. She would have to remember to ask him about his training when this was all over. "Doctor, I'll work on cauterizing veins? You take arteries? I recommend we begin by --" she stopped suddenly as she felt a tool slapped into her open palm. She looked down into her hand, surprised to find that she was now holding a micro-suture. She looked up at the nurse in utter shock. "-- sealing the exterior walls with a micro-suture..." she finished. "How did you -- do that?"

Flashing the movements of his hands ; thanking the Fates he had sugical gloves large enough to fit over his 'Signing Gloves', he moved his fingers quickly and the translator followed.

[You stated what you doing and I gave you what is needed.] The simulated voice said quickly. [Empathy also helps in clairity.] He hovered near the tray. "I must concentrate... please forgive.] He ended as he was waiting for te next request to support.

Alex smiled as she saw her new assistant's surprise on Mr. Jemnar's quick and most excellent service of his tasks - with the help of some empathic abilities. "Empathy certainly helps.", she said, then looked at Lita, "Alright. I'll take the arteries.", she replied, agreeing with her ideas, but then, she added gently, sure not to sound like putting her down or something, "But please remember, I'm the department head."

Lita paused for a heartbeat. She felt a familiar sense of dread wash over her. She had screwed up. First day. "Yes, Doctor." She swallowed. "Of course, Doctor."

Softtouch was concentrating on spreading his attention efficiently between the bio readings and then split between the two doctors while they worked on the patient. The two 'wipes' for the doctors foreheads were always at the ready.

[All vitals are weak but within parameters.] He gave the routine report of the patient to the doctors through the signing and UT simulated voice in between other tasks.

The ACMO continued her work in silence, embarrassed to have been scolded. Luckily, Softtouch made that tact all the more possible for her. No wasted words needed to exchange tools, no prolonged vocalizations required to get the bio monitors updated to a new section of their patient's circulatory system as they worked their way up the length of T'Pral's body. As the surgery progressed, Lita couldn't help but furrow her brow at the bio readings. "Doctor, we've managed nearly 70% coverage according to the readings. Shouldn't her blood pressure be coming up by now? And much faster?"

(To be continued...)

Lieutenant JG Lita Williams
Assistant Chief Medical Officer

Lieutenant Alexandra Alves
Chief Medical Officer

Chief Warrant Officer Softtouch Jemner
Nurse

 

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