Chapter 2713: with translation of chapter title

2615.2516 Pediatrics emergency

Su Yun glanced at the extracted hair less than 3 cm long and the box Zheng Ren Gang had just brought, feeling somewhat amused and exasperated.

"Boss, do you think you're making a mountain out of a molehill?"

"It is necessary." Zheng Ren insisted, "We must cut through the stratum corneum to properly extract the hair."

While speaking, Zheng Ren rinsed the instruments with clean water. Although there was no bleeding or contamination, the habitual procedure still needed to be done.

Su Yun shrugged, indicating the opposite opinion.

……

……

In the Intervention Department office, Gao Shaojie and Gu Xiao Ran were still busy in an orderly manner.

Gu Xiao Ran was very focused and conscientious.

He had only a few months left before returning; his further training would end after the New Year, but he had to say goodbye here before the New Year, go back to his hometown without first reporting to the hospital, and spend a peaceful year at home.

He cherished every moment in Di Du, working and studying with wholehearted effort.

When the phone rang, Gu Xiao Ran didn't notice it right away; only after three or five seconds did he realize it was his own phone.

Even writing a medical record required full concentration; Gu Xiao Ran smiled, but he couldn't afford to be distracted—Chang Yue was extremely strict, almost harsh.

Now, all the trainee doctors could still smile and greet Zheng Lao Ban, but when they saw Chang Yue they lowered their heads honestly, not daring to look, let alone meet her gaze.

"Sanzi, what's the matter?"

"Uh…… is it serious?"

"Just a moment, just a moment, I'll get in touch right away."

Gu Xiao Ran was somewhat flustered; he hung up the phone and then dialed another number.

"Don't panic, Xiao Ran." Gao Shaojie saw Gu Xiao Ran's hand trembling a bit; without even looking he knew he was about to cry, and immediately tried to console him.

"No, no." Gu Xiao Ran said there was none, but in fact he had already started to feel flustered.

"What's going on?"

"Teacher Gao, please wait a moment." Gu Xiao Ran, upon hearing the call connect, immediately said, "Zheng Lao Ban, a friend's child accidentally got scalded; after simple treatment, his condition worsened a few hours later, and now he is unconscious. The hospital back home says the child may not make it."

Gao Shaojie's eyebrows furrowed.

"It's not far; if there's no traffic, it'll take three hours to get there."

"I'll have them send the person over right away."

Gu Xiao Ran hung up the phone in a fluster and then began contacting his friend.

Gao Shaojie understood: the child had been scalded and not taken to the hospital; the time spent at home was probably short, and now his condition was poor.

The purpose of contacting Gu Xiao Ran was to see if he could help, so Gu Xiao Ran directly called Zheng Lao Ban.

Sending the child to Di Du is one solution. The pediatric capability of local hospitals…… not to mention skill level, there simply aren't enough qualified personnel. Of course, those hired by lowering standards, or veterinarians who switched careers, don't count.

In recent years, over ten thousand pediatric doctors nationwide have resigned, abandoning this thankless, arduous specialty without hesitation to pursue other work.

Many tertiary hospitals' pediatric departments can barely keep going, but the workload of medical staff has already reached a certain level; they could collapse at any moment because a doctor falls ill or over some trivial matter.

Moreover, some hospitals' pediatric emergency departments have shut down, causing patient volume to accumulate to a certain level. Added to the increase in pediatric patients after the two‑child policy was opened, these opposing forces have dragged pediatrics into an unfathomable abyss.

The pediatric strength of 912 is average, but that's compared to the Women and Children's Hospital. Looking for Zheng Lao Ban in this matter is still appropriate; even if the child's condition is particularly severe and 912 can't handle it, Zheng Lao Ban can still consult the Women and Children's Hospital for joint diagnosis and treatment.

Gao Shaojie saw Gu Xiao Ran's hand shaking uncontrollably and sighed inwardly. This kid is fine in every way, just too pure. At his age, he wants to cry at the slightest thing.

Who knows when Gu Xiao Ran will mature.

After finishing the calls, Gu Xiao Ran put his phone away, roughly wiped his face with his hand, then stood up and went to the sink to wash his face.

"Xiao Ran, stay calm." Gao Shaojie said, "Your friend's child? How old is he?"

"My classmate's child, probably under three." Gu Xiao Ran said, "They said he was already unconscious, but the family thought he was asleep. They didn't wake him for lunch at noon, and in the afternoon they saw him still sleeping, felt something was off, discovered they couldn't wake him, and then everyone panicked."

Gao Shaojie sighed. If that's the case, who knows how long treatment has been delayed. I also don't know whether that child can be saved, or whether……

He didn't want to dwell on it, after all, it's a child under three.

"Teacher Gao, driving from my hometown to Di Du takes just two hours on the expressway; do you think the child can make it smoothly?" Gu Xiao Ran asked anxiously.

Gao Shaojie remained silent; everyone knows what Di Du is like. Two hours later, it's exactly the rush‑hour peak for leaving Di Du, and with traffic jams, one could be stuck on the city's web‑like roads for hours—even an ambulance couldn't get through.

For every minute the unconscious child spends stuck on the roads of Di Du, he steps closer to death.

Perhaps by the time they reach 912, the child is already beyond saving.

After a long sigh, Gao Shaojie didn't utter any of the worrying, anxious words; instead, he comforted Gu Xiao Ran.

"Xiao Ran, you're all from the same city; couldn't you be treated better locally?" Chang Yue asked.

"Chang Yue, don't bring it up." Gu Xiao Ran said, "In our city, among the four somewhat larger hospitals, three of their pediatric departments don't even have enough staff for ward shifts."

"How can it be so serious?" Chang Yue was taken aback.

"Just bad luck." Gu Xiao Ran's eyes were a little red; he felt very anxious inside, but he struggled to suppress his flustered, upset emotions and said, "In recent years, pediatrics has had one problem after another. At the neighboring hospital, a nurse was kicked in the back by the child's grandfather because she hadn't even managed to insert a needle."

Gao Shaojie and Chang Yue both stopped their work and quietly listened to Gu Xiao Ran's account.

"He hit his head against the wall, and then an argument broke out. Afterwards, the hospital had no explanation…… well, it wasn't that there was none; they thought the nurse's professional skills were lacking, which caused this medical dispute, so they deducted three months' bonus from the person involved and made her apologize to the child's family."

Gao Shaojie and Chang Yue remained silent.

Others in the office also listened quietly; this practice of sweeping issues under the rug is very common—just cover the lid, regardless of right or wrong.

"Later that nurse went ahead and sued in court, but in the end it seemed to amount to nothing." Gu Xiao Ran said, "Afterward she resigned, and then four more pediatric nurses from that hospital quit, leaving the whole ward paralyzed."

Gu Xiao Ran isn't exaggerating; if five frontline nurses quit and the ward didn't become paralyzed, that would be a miracle.

Pediatrics isn't just any department; nurses transferred from other units can't simply be put to work right away—they need several weeks of training at least.