Queen of the Scalpel - Chapter 31 - Apprentice

Chapter 31: Apprentice

After Grayam left, Hansen approached Rose.

“Lady Rose?”

“Yes, sunbaenim. You can just call me Rose.”

“S-Sure.”

A calm voice. And a doll-like face on top of that. Hansen, who was at the age to be raging with hormones, blushed. She was too pretty. It was the first time he saw such a pretty person in his entire life. ‘She must be a noble, right?’ From her attitude, he could tell.

Creating a business, fall of the upper class, or changes to the status of a noble family as time went on were all reasons why nobles tried to become doctors.

Hansen’s father was also a nobleman.

“Can you follow me?”

“Ok.”

“This is where we see patients with outer injuries, and this is where the saline packs are. Do you know when salines are used?”

Hansen explained everything to her kindly.

“Professors can’t stay in the relief center all the time, so when a patient arrives, us interns take care of them and report to our teachers. Then, they’ll come and observe the patients.”

It was similarly run like an emergency room. In emergency rooms, interns or residents would diagnose patients and notify the doctors specialized for the case.

“Here are the surgical supplies. When a critically injured patient arrives, we do surgeries here as well.”

“Ok.”

“And later when a patient comes, I’ll explain how to use this.”

Hansen’s heart beat faster at her polite answers. To think such a cute girl was here after only seeing gross guys all the time! He cleared his voice and he spoke.

“This tool…”

Suddenly, a sharp voice rang throughout the medical relief center.

“Doctor, there’s a patient here!!”

“..!”

Hansen turned to look at Elise and spoke in a dependable voice.

“Let’s go, Rose. I’ll teach you how to diagnose patients.”

But upon arriving, Hansen’s face stiffened.

“Haa. Haa. Can’t breathe!”

A tall skinny man was panting. His chest heaved up and down, and he looked to be in an extremely bad condition.

“C-Chest…! Haa, haa!”

He couldn’t even properly speak because he couldn’t breathe.

Hansen frantically shouted.

“He has chest pain, so please bring machines for the heart! And call Dr.Grayam!”

It wasn’t something that mere interns could do. As the nurse of duty went to summon Grayam, Hansen tried to see the condition of the patient.

“Sir, please wait just a moment! We’ll quickly check you and treat you!”

It was then, Elise bit her lips beside him. ‘They shouldn’t test his heart! This isn’t a problem with his heart!’ As soon as she saw the patient, she realized his condition. Just by looking at him, she was sure it was ‘that.’ ‘He won’t be able to last until Dr.Grayam arrives. What should I do?’

Today was her first day here. She didn’t have any authority. But she didn’t think for too long.

“Kuk….”

With a scream, the patient’s eyes were starting to roll back!!

“Sir!! Sir!! Please wake up!!! Here! Quickly bring Dr.Grayam over!! Quickly!!”

Hansen shouted in shock. And at that moment, Elise stepped up.

“Sir.”

“Hm?”

“Sorry…but please lend me your stethoscope.”

“What?”

“Lend me your stethoscope! Quick!”

“…!”

While Hansen was surprised, she took the stethoscope hanging from his neck.

“Sorry! I’ll explain later!”

“…!”

She didn’t have time to explain. After listening to the sound of his lung, her face hardened. ‘As I thought!’ She didn’t hear his lungsound at all. And combining all his symptoms, there was only one diagnosis.

‘Pneumothorax!!’ She identified the grade. ‘Air left the lungs after it was pierced! So at least 70% of the left lung should be damaged. No, it’s not just the lung…!’ She frantically touched the carotid. And her face paled. She didn’t feel its pulse.

‘It’s not a simple pneumothorax…but a tension pneumothorax!!’ It was when air left the lungs too rapidly and placed pressure on the heart near it and left the patient in shock! ‘If I don’t treat it right now, he’ll die!!’

“Please give me a syringe.”

“What?”

But Hansen didn’t understand what she was saying. She shouted in a strong voice unlike her usual calm tone. That was how urgent this situation was.

“Please give me a syringe! With the thickest needle you can find!!”

“…!”

Thankfully, a nurse nearby had understood her orders and brought her a syringe with the biggest needle.

“Here!!”

It was almost as thick as a screw. Hansen asked in surprise.

“W-What are you going to do with that?”

She didn’t answer. No, she didn’t have the time to answer. She lifted the syringe….and like it was a knife, she brought it down on his chest. Breaking through his chest wall, blood spurted up on her face. But she didn’t even blink.

‘Not yet. Just a little more!’ She pushed the needle in even deeper.

“Ack!!!”

At her drastic treatment, someone screamed from nearby. Hansen’s face was white. To shove a needle in where dangerous organs like heart, aorta, and lungs were clustered! If something went wrong, it was immediate death.

“Y-You. What is…?!”

It was at that moment…