Safe and Sound || Rheese

4- Patient IV Complications

Next morning after the first death Reese has witnessed

Once again Reese walked through the hospital doors. After the last experience at the hospital, she had to push herself through the doors more than usual. It's common for fourth year med students to be nervous on their first few days working in the hospital with real patients. Sarah hoped she could be one of the students who made it all the way and didn't drop out.

She walked in the locker room and did her normal routine while getting ready like she did every morning. Sarah walked over to the coffee machine and grabbed a cup before pouring coffee in it. She sat down at the table by herself until Chout walked in. He was a paramedic. "Oh, hey, you're Sarah right?" Sarah got up and put the stethoscope back around her neck. She looked at him and nodded as she walked out of the room. "Well, have a wonderful day!!!" Chout said cheerfully as she walked out. His voice barely making it to her before the door shut on him.

Sarah walked up to Maggie to get the list patients she would have to treat today. There was a patient in treatment room 2. "CF patient, needs an IV," Maggie told her as she handed Sarah the charts. Sarah hesitated before continued on to the treatment room

When she walked in the room, Reese saw a young girl sitting on the hospital bed. The girl was sitting up slightly and looked at Reese as she walked in. "Hi, I'm Sarah. I'm here to give you an IV. Is that okay??" Sarah asked the girl gently and the girl shrugged, "Yes. Actually I do mind but it comes with CF. So I'm used to it... Go ahead." She stuck out her arm and Sarah walked over to her bedside.

Sarah set everything up for the IV making sure to keep all the supplies sterile. She cleaned the girls' arm with the alcohol swab she looked up at her, "What's your name?" "Hailey." Sarah smiled and nodded just before she grabbed the needle. "Just gonna be a little pinch" Sarah tried to poke her with the IV nettle, but it wasn't getting in the right place. She tried on more time and it didn't work. Sarah just didn't want to hurt her anymore than she had to. She apologized and explained before she walked out. Sarah was on her way to get help.

Connor was standing at one of the computers while working on paperwork at a computer. Sarah walked over to him quickly. "Hey... Connor. You busy??" Connor looked over at her "Not really, whatcha need?" Sarah looked a little ashamed, "I'm a little nervous and I need help getting an IV." Connor sighed as he followed Sarah to the treatment room. "I will help you this once, but I'm a surgeon. I don't do IVs. Only for you Sarah" he smirked at her before walking into the room. He sat by the girl. They had a cute conversation as he got the IV in her arm. Sarah waited for Connor at the door way. They walked out of the room and Sarah closed the door for the Haileys privacy.

*Time jump to a few hours later*

Sarah ran into the little girls treatment room as the monitors beating and going crazy. "Code blue. Code blue!!" Reese yelled. Sarah flattened the bed and got on her chest to start compressions. Dr. Rhodes was close to the room so he ran in and put gloves on. He gave orders to the nurse to push meds through the IV. "Reese, you have to press harder." He said as he watched Sarah do CPR on the girl. "I can't," Sarah said she she tried pressing harder. She could feel the ribs breaking and cracking.

A team from the OR came to get the girl.  Reese stood back. She looked at her hands as she took the gloves off. "I just broke a little girls ribs." Connor turned back in the room. "No, Sarah. You saved her life." He hugged her quickly and ran behind the gurnee to go operate on her.

Sarah walked back and waited for another patient to come through the doors of the ED. As she waited, she thought about Hailey.