Chapter 2610: 2517 Emergency Transfer

Everyone says that under an avalanche, no snowflake is innocent.

Venting anger, covering up, shifting contradictions—this practiced way of handling problems is useless; in the end it leads to one hospital after another closing its pediatrics department.

"It's said that side is getting busier and busier, the Nursing Department transfers staff over, but the experienced nurses who once worked in pediatrics all refuse. Whenever you try to talk, they just take sick leave and absolutely won't return to pediatrics. Later a nurse was driven to the point, pointing at the Nursing Department Director's nose and cursing, saying, 'How much are you paying me to work myself to death? If you're capable, you go do it!'"

This is what happens when contradictions have intensified to a certain point.

Hospitals in the capital, Modu, or provincial cities are somewhat better—at least the pay is higher, and quitting or the like always requires some thought.

After all, everyone has to support a family and make a living.

But hospitals in the localities don't pay much, especially pediatrics, which is even harder. Nurses have to work night shifts; when it's busy they run all night without their feet touching the ground, and as they get older they can't take it. Then the employer adds the infuriating practice of firing people before the contract‑to‑regular period ends……

Saying it out loud brings tears.

Especially local hospitals, unlike the various large tertiary hospitals in the capital, lack further‑training staff, and the medical workforce is simply insufficient. A few resignations can trigger a chain reaction.

"Then what? Did the nurse who scolded the Nursing Department Director also resign?"

"Yeah." Gu Xiao Ran nodded, "I heard from a classmate at the neighboring hospital that that nurse not only resigned, but also persuaded nearly ten other nurses to quit together and go to a nearby private health‑check hospital."

"Private hospitals are great—no busywork, and they earn even more. Compared to public hospitals, it's like heaven versus a sewer." Gu Xiao Ran continued.

Gao Shaojie sighed.

"Later that hospital's pediatrics barely managed for a few months; with no staff, the one person left had to do the work of one and a half, so they shut down the pediatrics emergency."

"I think the situation now is that as soon as the seasons change, pediatrics overflows, and the inpatient department is probably about the same."

"Teacher Gao, the hospitals in the provincial capital should be a bit better, right?" Gu Xiao Ran asked.

"It can be a little better, but not much better." Gao Shaojie shook his head slightly, "Last year two hospitals in the provincial capital of Northern Province closed their pediatrics emergencies; the rest…… I don't think they'll hold out much longer."

"Even the provincial capital can't hold up?" Gu Xiao Ran looked surprised.

"In Northern Province the pay is low, so even those who want to work in their specialty have to compare. Over in Southern Province they pay more—last year alone, as far as I know, three pediatric deputy chiefs quit and went south."

The situation is the same nationwide; the south can be a bit better, after all its economic foundation is solid, and at worst they just wave their checkbooks and poach people from the north.

Even so, from time to time one hears news of pediatrics closing at small comprehensive hospitals in the south. Especially when the seasons change, one can see photos of pediatrics emergency lines stretching past number 300.

The problem keeps getting sharper; Gao Shaojie knows where the contradiction lies, but as an Intervention Department doctor in Northern Province he lacks the ability to solve it. Not to mention solving it, he can't even be bothered to complain. Is it something he can resolve himself? Speaking up would be useless.

"Xiao Ran, does your place not have a pediatric ICU?"

"Yeah." Gu Xiao Ran nodded.

Even ordinary pediatric wards can't hold up, let alone critical care medicine—there's simply no one who can manage it.

So when faced with the situation of Gu Xiao Ran's classmate just now, one has to risk life and limb, clutching the child and heading to the provincial capital. Generally the provincial capital is a bit better and will have a dedicated children's hospital.

This time it happened because Gu Xiao Ran was in the capital, so things changed slightly, but essentially it's the same.

"And Xiao Ran?"

Just as they were speaking, Su Yun strode back in and, upon entering, asked.

"Yun Ge'er, I'm here." Gu Xiao Ran quickly stood up, "You're back."

"What's the condition of that patient you mentioned?" Su Yun asked directly.

"In the hurry just mentioned, I didn't inquire in detail. They said the child was scalded while having breakfast, the family did a simple treatment, and the child fell asleep. It wasn't until the afternoon that they noticed he had lost consciousness at some point, so they came to find me."

Gu Xiao Ran simply gave a rundown of what happened.

"Well, I just said he doesn't know either." Su Yun looked at Zheng Ren behind him and said helplessly.

"Yeah, a scald, treated at home." Zheng Ren seized on the two keywords and began to ponder.

"We don't have a pediatric ICU here; we went to the biggest hospital's pediatrics, and they said the beds are full, no place to admit." Gu Xiao Ran said helplessly.

"Who would bother with pediatrics if there's nothing going on? That's really just being idle." Su Yun said.

Lin Yuan subconsciously wanted to bite his fingernails again, but at the crucial moment he managed to hold back.

Zheng Lao Ban will hit people, so it's better not to provoke him.

I want to learn intracardiac intervention surgery; this is the result of discussing it with my own father. Is domestic pediatrics not good? Lin Yuan had some doubts.

But she didn't ask.

"Xiao Ran, call and ask whether an ambulance was sent, and whether the doctor on board is from internal medicine or pediatrics." Zheng Ren asked in a low voice.

Gu Xiao Ran replied with an acknowledgement and turned to make the call.

"Boss, you're just asking something you already know the answer to." Su Yun said, "How could there be a pediatrics doctor idle enough to go out on a 120 emergency? You're joking."

"What if?"

"There's no 'what if.' The capital's pediatrics is short 1,600 doctors. Whether that shitty place of Xiao Ran's can even have a pediatrics emergency is uncertain." Su Yun said disparagingly, "From now on it's better to live in a big city; otherwise, when a child gets sick, you won't be able to see a doctor."

"It's not that exaggerated."

"Don't give me those numbers, it's all bullshit." Su Yun said, "Have you contacted the PICU?"

"Yeah, first we need to wait for a bed." Zheng Ren said, "Then we'll take a look at the situation and decide."

"Being able to just call up a PICU bed—boss, your face is getting bigger and bigger." Su Yun said with a sneer.

"Cut the crap—you said the child lost consciousness after a scald; what are you considering?"

"Who knows? I once encountered a child over two years old with extensive full‑body burns. The injury wasn't severe, but the family applied some ancestral secret remedy, which caused bacteria to proliferate, leading to a subsequent severe infection."

Zheng Ren frowned; mistaken treatment after a scald is really a headache. But there's no need to ask about it now—we'll talk when the patient arrives. As for what Su Yun said, Zheng Ren thinks the likelihood is small. A severe infection wouldn't develop that quickly.

"Zheng Lao Ban…" Gu Xiao Ran finished the call and came back with his head down.

"What's going on?"

"The internal‑medicine doctor who came on the 120 ambulance doesn't know the proper procedures, and we can't find anyone with experience in the whole city." Gu Xiao Ran said helplessly.

Zheng Ren shook his head slightly; this is just imagination.

120 emergency transfers are fraught with danger. Experienced pediatric doctors can still handle such critical emergencies, but the south has long offered high salaries, so few stay in the north to continue working.