Behind the bright lights *LH*

Chapter 2

*3 years later.*

"Mila!" Peter snaps. I look up from my work on the computer. I've spent the first half of my shift reviewing labs, writing orders and preparing SOAP notes for our afternoon discharges. "Did you hear me?"

Peter and I have worked together for nearly six months. I pick up shifts every other weekend at the University of Illinois Hospital for extra money. Peter is staffed only on weekends, but his position allows the overworked nurses to have at least one weekend a month off.

"I'm sorry, I was in the zone. I've finished nearly all the discharges. We will be able to get them out of here by lunch time!" I flash him a sweet smile to try to lighten up his mood. Pissing off the nurses is the worst kind of mistake to make. They can stick you with a lifetime of nasty flesh wounds and vile smelling vomit.  "What did you say?" He sighs and his face softens.

"Bed C is being admitted, labs and scans need to be ordered. Bed D needs fluids. I need you to see beds E, F, and G." He looks down at his iPad which has all the information he is giving me. "Oh and admissions is sending us another patient with a laceration wound. We won't have a bed until bed C is admitted and moved." He looks back at me. I can tell he is stressed.

"I'm on it." I stand up from my desk. "Thank you for letting me know. I finished bed A and B's discharged notes. They are free to leave which will open up some beds. I'll call housekeeping on my way." He nods and stomps out of the back room.

I usually enjoy my shifts with Peter. He is a great nurse and overall a great guy. He cares for his patients and goes a great job at keeping them calm when they first arrive. Behind the scenes, he is always willing to pick up someone's shift or be there when you need to talk through a case to find a diagnosis. He is remarkably witty and not bad to look at. He's tall with dark brown hair and eyes. His skin is constantly tanned, like he has just stepped off a Floridian beach.

I move from our backroom out into the emergency department. I find my tablet resting on it's charging dock at the nurses station and open it up to see the patient profile for bed C. A 21 year old female was being admitted with severe dehydration, a double kidney infection, and possible sepsis. I start to order their IV antibiotics, repeat labs for later, and a CT scan of their kidneys. Once finished I sign off on their admission to observation.

"Someone from upstairs should be coming to get bed C in the next half hour." I told the     CNA at the desk. She nods and continues updating and reviewing her charts. I take out my hospital cell phone and dial for housekeeping. I put in my request for our rooms to be cleaned. I continue on the to do list that Peter has given me.

I cherish my weekends at the hospital, it keeps me in touch with a lot of the skillsets I learned in medical school. Plus it helps pay the bills. I don't think I would want to work here full time. It can be very stressful. A lot of the time it feels like I'm putting out one fire while three others start to blaze. My full time job at Chicago's Spinal Injury Institute is much more rewarding.

I walk down the hallway which leads me to the small exam rooms where my patients are waiting. I start with who has been here the longest. 65 year old female who experienced a fall. The nurses' workup didn't state any life threatening injuries. I knock on the door and I tuck my tablet underneath my armpit. Pinning it there with my arm before entering her room. I pump the hand sanitizer and start to clean my hands. I look at my patient whose hand is intertwined with an older man's hands.

"Hi Mrs. Carson. My name is Mila Williams. I'm a physician's assistant and I will be taking care of you today. Do you want to confirm your name and date of birth?" I smile at her briefly before looking at her chart."

"Ruth Carson. April 13, 1955." She fidgets on the exam tablet. "Am I going to be alright do you think? My husband insisted we come here." I head to the small sink in the exam room and select a pair of disposable gloves.