You Make It Easy

Sleep.

Maya~

"So is there an investigation going on for this situation?" the neurology department head asks.

"Yes. We cannot disclose anything but minor details. Which is why you're all here. Stuff like this should not happen. If myself or my nurses put in an order such as moving a patient, it should not be ignored. Her death was completely preventable."

Some of them nod along. "I get it that you guys have other important things to be doing. But to not send one of your nurses or an orderly to transfer a patient with a serious condition is completely disrespectful. It's wrong. It's inconsiderate."

I continue, "We are one of Wisconsin's top hospitals. I cannot let something like this happen again."

"You should've kept checking in on her."

"I'm sorry I cannot keep my eyes on one patient at a time when I'm running an emergency room. It's very simple to look at the computer when an order comes in. You don't ignore it. You don't wait to do it. You go get whatever it is and complete it. The ER isn't a dumping ground for patients. And I hope all of you are planning on sharing the contents of this meeting with your staff."

"Look, I get it. But we have surgeries and patients."

"I understand that. But I'm not going to let the ER be a dumping ground for patients because your staff is too lazy to walk down to the ER to transfer somebody. It's not my job to transfer a patient to a department I don't work in. I have more patients coming in each day than you do. I can't sit and watch one singular patient when it's expected that somebody from that department shows up and does their job. All I'm trying to say is the staff members need to step up. We're all busy, I get it. But please pass this on to your staff otherwise I'll send a hospital-wide email going over everything we just went through."

Most of them nod along again, "Thank you for your time. I know it's hard to get everyone in one place at one time. Thank you for showing up."

Everyone scatters out of our small conference room. I take a seat in one of the chairs. Bridget stays with me, "I feel like that could've gone better," I tell her.

"Their egos are too big and you know that. I'm sure they'll say something to their staff."

"That doesn't mean anything will change."

"I know."

I close my laptop. "Ready?"

I nod, "Yeah. I do need to call Christian before I get started on everything."

"Why?"

"I forgot my lunch. I'm going to see if he'll bring it for me since I don't want to run home."

We leave the conference room and walk back to the ER. "You live five minutes away."

"Yeah but if I go home, I won't want to come back to work."

"Okay, that's fair."

I take a seat at my station and call Christian. "Hey, everything okay?"

"Yeah. Can you bring me my lunch? It's in the fridge."

"Right now?"

"Doesn't have to be."

"When's your lunch?"

"11:30 if all things go well."

"Okay. I'll be there around then."

"Thank you."

"Of course. How'd your meeting go?"

"Could've gone better. But it's fine."

Bridget motions for me to hurry up. "I have to go. Text me when you're here."