94: Chapter 94 A patient is being brought over later; the situation is rather special.

Monday, 7:15 AM.

Lu Chen appeared in the Red Zone of the Emergency Department on time.

After changing into his white coat and putting on his name tag, he was signing in at the Nurse Station when Meng Yan happened to walk by carrying a cup of tea.

"You came so early?"

"I'm used to it."

Meng Yan looked him up and down and nodded.

"Your state of mind is good. Did you rest well yesterday?"

"Yeah, I went back to the Orphanage."

"No wonder. Your complexion today is different from usual; you look much more relaxed."

Lu Chen didn't respond to that and picked up the shift handover log to review the night shift records.

The Red Zone admitted six patients last night; two had already been transferred out, four were still under observation, and their vital signs were all considered stable.

There were no particularly tricky situations.

He closed the handover log and walked into the resuscitation area to check the equipment.

The defibrillator, ventilator, monitor, and emergency cart were all in place.

He also went to check the Emergency Operating Room; the instruments were sterilized and put back in place, and everything was normal.

At 7:30, Zhao Yaqin arrived.

"Lu Chen, did you go to the Orphanage yesterday?"

"Sister Zhao knows too?"

"Shen Xiaoning posted a bunch of photos in the Nurses' group chat early this morning, saying things like how cute Xiao Douzi is and how interesting Xiao Luobo is. The entire Emergency Department knows."

The corners of Lu Chen's mouth twitched.

This girl's ability to spread information was truly astonishing.

"The photos turned out quite well." That was all he said.

Zhao Yaqin glanced at him, didn't say anything more, and began the handover of the night shift work.

At 8:00 sharp, Shen Xiaoning arrived at the Red Zone right on time.

She had her hair in a high ponytail today, looking full of energy, and smiled at Lu Chen as soon as she walked in.

"Dr. Lu, good morning!"

"Morning."

"I brought you soy milk and steamed buns. They're fresh from the Cafeteria, eat them while they're hot!"

She placed an insulated bag on the Nurse Station table.

"When did you go to the Cafeteria to buy these?"

"I got up at 6:30 today! I got up early on purpose!"

"You don't have to go to such trouble."

"It's no trouble at all, I have to eat breakfast myself anyway."

Lu Chen glanced at the contents of the insulated bag.

Two cups of soy milk, four steamed buns.

"You bought two portions?"

"Yeah, one for you, one for me."

"Then where is yours?"

"It's in my stomach; I already ate it."

"So you got up at 6:30, went to the Cafeteria to buy two breakfasts, ate one, and then brought one for me?"

"Exactly!"

"Don't you think this process is a bit..."

"A bit what?"

"Never mind, thanks."

Shen Xiaoning chuckled, then ran off to prepare for her work today.

Lu Chen, taking advantage of the fact that no patients had arrived yet, sat down and ate the steamed buns.

The soy milk was sweet. And hot.

He preferred savory soy milk, but he didn't say anything.

8:40 AM.

The morning shift in the Red Zone only saw a few ordinary emergency patients—one with acute gastrointestinal bleeding, one in a hypoglycemic coma—none of which were too complicated.

Lu Chen worked with Zhao Yaqin to handle them quickly, and the pace was steady.

9:15 AM.

Lu Chen was at the Nurse Station writing medical records when his phone rang.

It was a message from Director Li Sen.

[Director Li Sen: Lu Chen, come to my office at 9:30.]

Lu Chen put down his pen.

"Sister Zhao, Director Li is looking for me, I'm going over there."

"Go ahead, I'll keep an eye on things here."

Lu Chen walked out of the Red Zone and headed down the corridor toward Director Li Sen's office.

He ran into Wu Fan on the way.

"Whoa, Dr. Lu, being summoned so early?"

"Director Li needs me for something."

"I saw the photos from your trip to the Orphanage yesterday too. That girl, Shen Xiaoning, posted them on her Moments with a caption, what was it again—'A Warm Day'—and paired it with nine pictures."

"I don't check my Moments."

"It doesn't matter if you don't check, everyone else has. Now the entire Emergency Department is gossiping that you took the girl home to meet your parents."

"That's the Orphanage, not my parents."

"Isn't the Director Mother of the Orphanage your parent? You took the young lady to see your mother, what do you call that?"

Lu Chen glanced at Wu Fan.

"Brother Wu, you're talking a bit too much today."

"I'm just concerned about you."

"I know, but your concern is misdirected."

Wu Fan chuckled behind him.

Lu Chen arrived at the door of Director Li Sen's office and knocked.

"Come in."

He pushed the door open and walked in.

Director Li Sen was sitting behind his desk, holding a phone, talking about something.

Seeing Lu Chen enter, he gestured for him to sit down first.

Lu Chen sat on the chair opposite him and waited quietly.

Director Li Sen talked on the phone for about another three or four minutes.

Judging by the content of the conversation, the other party seemed to be requesting something.

"I understand, Old Wu, don't worry, send the person over first, I'll arrange things on this end."

"I have an idea of the situation."

"Alright, tell the family to come directly to the Emergency Department, use the green channel, I'll be waiting here."

He hung up the phone.

Director Li Sen looked at Lu Chen.

"You're here?"

"Yes, Director Li, what is it?"

Director Li Sen leaned back in his chair, considering his wording.

"A patient will be sent over in a while, the situation is rather special."

"How special?"

"The patient's name is Zhou Desheng, 52 years old, male. He is the boss of Desheng Building Materials in Jiangcheng. His business is quite large locally, and he has close ties with some people in the city."

Lu Chen nodded without saying anything.

"Three days ago, this person started experiencing symptoms of chest tightness and shortness of breath. At first, he didn't take it seriously, thinking he was just tired. This morning, it suddenly worsened to the point where he couldn't even sit still. The family panicked and started pulling strings everywhere, finally reaching our Hospital's Vice President Wu, who then transferred the call to me."

"What's the preliminary diagnosis?"

"His private doctor suspects pericardial effusion, a significant amount, which has already affected his heart function."

Lu Chen's brain instantly went through the relevant knowledge about pericardial effusion.

A large amount of pericardial effusion, if it causes cardiac tamponade, is a life-threatening matter.

"How does Director Li plan to handle it?"

Director Li Sen stood up.

"I'll handle it personally; this patient's identity is quite sensitive."

"If handled well, it's a calling card for the Hospital; if handled poorly, it's a headache. It's not suitable to leave it to others."

He looked at Lu Chen.

"You be my assistant."

"Understood."

"Let's go, go to the Red Zone and prepare. The patient should arrive in about twenty minutes."

The two of them walked out of the office together, heading toward the Red Zone.

On the way, Director Li Sen gave a few more instructions.

"There might be a lot of family members later. In these wealthy and powerful families, when one patient comes, they practically bring twenty relatives, and they tend to get emotional easily. You don't need to worry about the family members; I'll handle them."

"Okay."

"Also, if this patient really has cardiac tamponade caused by a large pericardial effusion, we might need to perform a Pericardiocentesis drainage. This procedure carries certain risks and must be completed under ultrasound guidance."

Lu Chen's heart stirred slightly.

Ultrasound-guided Puncture.

The Master Level skill he had just acquired.

The progress was still zero.

But the skill's operational level already far exceeded that of an ordinary doctor.

"Have you ever performed an ultrasound-guided Puncture before?"

Director Li Sen asked.

"I observed it a few times while I was on an exchange at Guangfu Hospital."

"Observing is enough. Later, you'll be responsible for assisting with the ultrasound positioning, and I'll perform the Puncture."

"No problem."

Back in the Red Zone, Lu Chen immediately started making preparations.

He asked Shen Xiaoning to bring over the portable ultrasound equipment and asked Meng Yan to prepare the full set of instruments for Pericardiocentesis drainage.

The Puncture needle, drainage tube, drainage bag, sterile kit, local anesthetic, and ECG monitor.

All in place.

Zhao Yaqin saw this setup and walked over.

"What's going on?"

"A patient with pericardial effusion will be sent over in a while, and Director Li Sen will handle it personally."

"Director Li Sen is handling it personally? Then what's the background of this patient?"

"The boss of Desheng Building Materials."

Zhao Yaqin nodded in understanding.

"No wonder. That Zhou Desheng really has some influence in Jiangcheng; his wife seems to be from some bureau in the city."

"That has nothing to do with us; we just need to treat the patient."

"Easier said than done. Just wait and see; when the family arrives, you'll have a headache."