The Pregnant Intern. Carol Marinelli

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СКАЧАТЬ turned from Linda’s angry gaze and addressed the patient.

      ‘Mrs Marshall, we’re going to keep you nil by mouth for now. I know you want a drink but it really is safer not to at the moment. We’ll increase your pain control and I’ve written up an order for some Valium which will help you to settle.’

      Surprisingly, Mrs Marshall seemed a lot happier with his decision than Linda and leant back resignedly on her pillows.

      ‘A psychiatric and social work referral would also be appropriate,’ Jeremy said, handing her folder back to the charge nurse.

      ‘She had all that last time she was in,’ Linda said. ‘That’s why I didn’t order the works this time around. She always swears she’s going to give up this time, and then back she bounces.’

      Jeremy nodded. ‘Which, while mildly frustrating for us, must be absolute hell for Mrs Marshall and her family. See she gets the appropriate referrals.’

      ‘Bravo, Jeremy,’ Josh whispered, and Alice actually found she felt like cheering herself. Jeremy had certainly put the obnoxious Linda in her place.

      ‘I’m not entirely happy with her.’ Jeremy looked over at Alice. ‘When we finish up here, can you do some blood gases on Mrs Marshall?’

      ‘Sure.’

      ‘I’ll see you both later in pre-op clinic.’ With a small nod he walked off, as Linda marched furiously behind him.

      ‘I’ll start writing up the notes, then, while you do the gases,’ Josh suggested. ‘Then we can grab a coffee.’

      ‘I doubt it,’ Alice said with a sigh. ‘I’ve got three IVs to resite and a pile of drug charts that need writing up, and there’s a couple of bloods that need doing.’

      ‘Alice, Alice, Alice.’ Josh gave her a wide smile. ‘You have so much to learn. Fi,’ he called to the charge nurse, who came over with a smile, ‘this young intern hasn’t yet learnt how to ask for favours. Do you think we should teach her?’

      Fi smiled warmly at Alice. ‘You’re not listening to Josh, are you? He’ll get you into all sorts of trouble.’ Fi had delicate oriental features and a kind smile but, despite her seemingly easygoing nature, Alice knew just from this morning’s ward round that Fi ran the ward with impeccable efficiency.

      ‘That’s not fair, Fi.’ Josh winked at Alice. ‘Fi and I worked together when I was a surgical intern,’ he explained. ‘Now, Fi, tell Alice the truth—didn’t I always come at night when you paged me? Didn’t I listen to you and call the reg when you were worried? Didn’t I always bring doughnuts in?’

      Fi nodded. ‘And in return I had to do half your bloods and IVs.’

      ‘Cheap at half the price. Come on, Fi, don’t say you’ve gone all hard on me? You’re the only reason I came back to this ward.’

      Fi laughed. ‘All right, I’ll help with your bloods, if I get the time. But I’m on nights next week,’ she warned, ‘and you’d better remember your side of the deal.’

      As Josh made his way to do his notes, Fi turned her attention to Alice, who was filling up a kidney dish with blood-gas syringes and alcohol swabs.

      ‘When you’ve done the blood gases, I’ll show you around,’ she offered. ‘Let you know how Jeremy likes things.’

      ‘Thanks ever so much.’

      Fi looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. ‘Listen to me for a moment, Alice. I know I always look busy but I’ve always got time if you need to run something by me. If there’s something you’re not sure about, you can always come to me.’

      Alice nodded. It was a kind offer that a lot of charge nurses made when new interns started and one that was much appreciated. Heaven knew, it was a busy enough job and you needed all the support you could get. But there was something about Fi’s offer that sounded ominous, as if she almost expected trouble.

      ‘I’d better get those gases done.’

      ‘I’ll get you some ice.’

      Although Mrs Marshall was on oxygen, Alice removed the mask before she took the blood gases, as the blood taken while the patient was breathing only air would enable them to get a truer picture of her condition. Although obviously unwell, the increased pain control had already kicked in and she actually seemed in the mood for a chat.

      ‘I’m just going to take a small sample of blood from your wrist, Mrs Marshall, so just hold still while I inject some anaesthetic.’

      ‘No one else has bothered with anaesthetic. How come?’

      ‘Maybe you were too sick and they needed the blood urgently,’ Alice suggested diplomatically.

      ‘Maybe they were in too much of a hurry,’ the patient said pointedly. ‘When are you due?’

      ‘In about three months’ time,’ Alice muttered reluctantly.

      ‘Your first?’

      Alice nodded. She really didn’t want to discuss her private life with Mrs Marshall but, as she was increasingly finding out, her obvious condition seemed to be a licence for all and sundry to strike up a conversation about the most personal of subjects.

      ‘Must be hard on your own.’ She gestured to Alice’s naked ring finger.

      Alice concentrated on finding the pulsing artery. ‘Hold still, please, Mrs Marshall.’

      Thankfully she hit the jackpot first time and the bright red arterial blood spurted up the syringe.

      ‘She got it first go and even gave me an anaesthetic first,’ Mrs Marshall said loudly—to whom, Alice had no idea.

      ‘Glad to hear it.’

      Alice nearly jumped out of her skin as Jeremy made his way over. ‘Let’s pop your oxygen back on now.’ He replaced the mask over the patient’s face.

      ‘I was just saying how hard it must be for the young doctor, being pregnant and on her own.’

      Alice wished the ground would open up and swallow her, but she had no choice other than to stand there and press the cotton-wool swab for a full two minutes on the site where she had taken the arterial blood.

      ‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Jeremy said lightly. ‘Solitude has its virtues. I think you can stop pressing now,’ he added to Alice.

      Mortified, she followed him out of the room.

      ‘Don’t tell them so much next time,’ Jeremy said, taking her to one side.

      Alice, blushing furiously, looked down at her feet. Her tinted moisturiser had gone all blotchy. ‘I’m sorry, I know it mustn’t look very good—professionally, I mean—what with me being a single mother and all that.’

      To her utter amazement Jeremy gave a small laugh. ‘We’re in the twenty-first century, Alice, for heaven’s sake, not the nineteen-fifties. Nobody gives a damn these days about pregnant women being single.’

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