My cell phone rings and I see the number for my charge nurse. "Hello?"
There are no pleasantries on the other line. "They need help in the Emergency Room. The department is already short staffed today, we're going to have to reroute at least two of them."
As a level two center, I know that we have a trauma team that is equipped to handle events like these, but I'm also part of the backup team if they need help.
"I'm on my way. Do we need any extra supplies?"
"Just you, and maybe another nurse if you can spare one. I knew you would answer."
"Would a Peds nurse work? Can you call and see if Derrek is available. I know he's working today."
"That would be amazing. I'll call over and hope he can come down," she says.
I hang up that call and shut down my computer as fast as I can. "The bat signal calls," I say to Brandy. She nods and picks up her phone.
"We'll cover your patients. Go save lives."
I jog down to the elevators and press the button. I pull my personal phone out while I'm waiting and shoot off a quick text to Tyler that I might be home late.
Brandt
Emergency at work, might be home late. Please remember to take your medicine and call someone or 911 if you need. Love you.
I know I'm being overprotective, but with how he looked last night I'm still worried. I pocket my phone when the doors open. It'll take me at least five minutes to walk over to the Emergency Department. The back doors of the elevator open two floors down and none other than Derrek steps in.
"I was eating lunch when I got the call. Thanks for pulling me in on this," he says as the doors close.
Once the doors open again, we both start jogging toward the Emergency Department. It's hectic to say the least. We're directed to different rooms immediately. I'm standing with a couple of the doctors and other nurses. I recognize one of the girls from radiology as well.
There are orders being given, positions assigned. I'm on preparation. I head into the first trauma bay and start going over the checklist. I check every single drawer and double confirmthat the crash cart is stocked as well before I grab my own gown and wait with the others.
When the ambulances arrive, it's all hands on deck. We're moving quickly, vital signs are being called out for each patient. I'm assigned to the twelve-year-old. I see Derrek is on the infant. The kid I'm assigned to has lacerations all over his face. I hear someone saying there's glass in the third patient as they pass the bay to the next one.
"Hey, buddy." I say in the gentlest voice. His eyes are open and I can see tears, but he's not crying. "What's your name?"
"Bobby." His voice is weak, but I can hear him clearly enough. "Where's my mom and dad?"
"They're being helped in another room," I say. I'm not sure if that's true, but we'll need to keep him calm. We'll get more information as we get each patient through triage.
There are more bodies around, passing this and that until we have Bobby hooked up to the monitors. We start an IV and get some labs drawn. All the while, myself and another nurse are explaining everything. I see that Bobby has a faded temporary tattoo of a dinosaur on his arm. It reminds me of Tyler and I smile.
"I like your tattoo," I say. "What dinosaur is that?"
"It's a Brachiosaurus," he says.
"Is that your favorite dinosaur?" One of the doctors comes in and looks over Bobby's chart. The others in the room give him the rundown. I see the moment Bobby hears the wordsglassandremoving.
"I have glass in me?" Bobby's eyes are wide, scared. He looks right at me.
"Hey, it's okay." I brush his hair back carefully. "You just focus on me and we're going to let all the other people in this room work, okay? Now, I have a very good friend that loves dinosaurs too, so I know a thing or two. I personally like the Triceratops."
I get him focused on our conversation. He still winces when the other nurse starts to clean his wounds. He'll be here for a while as we check him over and make sure there are no other injuries. We have the ultrasound machine in the room, but he'll most likely go for another, more in depth scan.
"Brandt, can we get your help over here?" The trauma bay has two beds and we have his younger sister in that one. She's only a year old.
"Don't leave me," Bobby says. He reaches his arm out, but winces at the movement. I put his arm back flat on the bed and pat his hand gently.
"I'm just going to go over here and help your sister, okay? I'm not going to be that far away." I look at the doctor and the other nurse across from me. "And I bet you that these two right here want to learn all about the dinosaurs you know, okay? You better teach them well because I'm going to quiz them later."
