Chapter 540: Chapter 234: Saving Small Money to Spend Big Money, the Principles of Fluid Replacement_3

“Xiao Zhou, come with me to the ward.”

Director Shang hurried into the office, put down his things, and immediately walked outside.

He seemed very rushed.

Upon hearing Director Shang’s call, Zhou Can felt a surge of excitement. He thought he had been forgotten by Director Shang.

It seems he was not forgotten.

Rather, Director Shang was too busy.

“Today, I went to the Emergency Department for an emergency visit, Director Lou caught me just as I was about to leave and insisted on having a few words with me. He asked me to take extra care of you, and I told Director Lou that you performed exceptionally well in Digestive Internal Medicine. Even if Director Lou hadn’t personally mentioned this, I would have taken good care of you.”

Director Shang said as he walked.

“Thank you!”

Zhou Can expressed his gratitude to Director Shang, and couldn’t help but feel grateful for Director Lou.

This reminded him of a saying, if you fall in love with a city, it’s certainly because of the people you like in it.

His bond with the Emergency Department began a year and a half ago.

And it has grown deeper.

There are many people he likes in the Emergency Department: his mentor Dr. Xu, nurse practitioner Qiao Yu, Ye Tingting, Director Lou… All these people have deepened his affection for the Emergency Department.

Director Lou had gone out of his way to speak to Director Shang about taking extra care of Zhou Can, a fact Zhou Can would never have known if Director Shang hadn’t brought it up himself.

This kind of silent help is even more sincere and touching.

Following Director Shang to the ward, they saw that the patient in bed number 73 was already on IV fluids.

Yu Xin was making records beside the bed, taking great care not to be negligent.

“Yu Xin, how is the patient doing?”

As Director Shang entered the ward, the nurse practitioner in charge and the attending physician responsible for the ward all hurried over.

The status of a chief physician is really powerful.

Especially a highly competent chief physician, who is greatly revered and esteemed in the hospital.

This is the nature of medical studies; the phase from medical student to Resident Doctor is particularly tough. There are many hurdles to overcome.

Once you get through it and become an attending, life becomes easier.

This is also why many medical students opt for consecutive master’s and doctoral degrees.

It’s not because they have a wealthy family or don’t want to start earning money sooner to relieve their family’s financial pressure.

But rather for a better future prospect.

After obtaining a doctoral degree, only one year of work experience is needed to become an attending physician. The evaluations for associate senior title and senior title later are much less challenging than for a bachelor’s degree holder.

Thus, if one is really cut out for academics and can endure the solitude, the higher the educational attainment, the better.

“The patient just vomited again and has had diarrhea four times, the overall condition is nearly like collapse. The heart rate is a bit fast and the body temperature is still in a feverish state.” She has been cautiously treating this patient, fearing any mishaps.

Now that Director Shang has arrived, she no longer has to bear the pressure alone.

Senior doctors have their prestige, high status, and high income, but when issues arise, senior doctors bear the primary responsibility.

Even with a difficult patient, they have to face it head on.

“Well, the fluid replenishment procedure is not bad. When administering fluids to patients, remember to prefer oral rehydration for those with light to moderate dehydration. But for a patient like this one, who has severe vomiting, one must decisively choose IV fluids. Dr. Yu did this very well.”

Director Shang briefly checked the patient’s fluid administration and then highly praised Yu Xin’s actions.

Receiving praise from Director Shang, a barely concealable smile of happiness appeared on Yu Xin’s face.

She gratefully glanced at Zhou Can.

It was Zhou Can who gave her that suggestion.

Initially, she had planned to begin with the simplest method of oral rehydration.

“If you encounter a patient with severe toxic symptoms and circulatory failure, even if there are no symptoms of vomiting, IV fluids must be used. If necessary, corticosteroid therapy should also be applied.”

Director Shang taught the two resident doctors under his guidance about the key points of fluid replenishment.

Zhou Can had learned some of these skills in Intensive Care Medicine Department as well, but he felt Director Shang’s explanations were more comprehensive.

“If the patient has no complications, there is no need for antimicrobial drugs. However, for elderly, young, or immunocompromised patients, as well as those with typhoid, septic, or localized suppurative infections, antimicrobial treatment is essential. Moreover, the treatment course should last about two weeks, depending on whether the condition is effectively controlled or not.”

Septicemia and suppurative infections are very serious conditions.

If antimicrobial drugs are not used at this time, the condition will rapidly worsen and the patient will soon die.

If injured by a rusty nail, knife, or sharp object, it is critical to get a tetanus shot promptly.

If septicemia occurs, the cost will far exceed that of the tetanus vaccine.