As time ticked by, the patient’s breathing gradually stabilized under the influence of oxygen and medication. Xu Ze finally let out a sigh of relief. It seemed his judgment had been correct, which boosted his confidence.
He quickly stepped forward and used his stethoscope to listen to the patient’s heart rate. It had slowed down slightly but was still at 126 beats per minute, and the patient’s breathing remained somewhat rapid. Frowning, Xu Ze thought for a moment before turning to Sister Luo beside him and instructing, “Prepare 20ml of 50% glucose with 0.4mg of Cedilanid for cardiac support. Administer it slowly via IV push over five minutes!”
By now, Sister Luo had complete faith in Xu Ze’s abilities. Without hesitation, she followed his instructions just as she would have with Dr. Zhang’s orders. She quickly drew up the Cedilanid, diluted it with glucose solution, and sat down beside the patient. She then began to slowly inject the 20ml solution into the patient’s IV line.
Xu Ze watched carefully. Cedilanid was an excellent cardiac medication, but it also had significant side effects. The injection had to be administered very slowly; otherwise, it could cause the patient’s heart rate to drop too low or even lead to cardiac arrest. That was why Xu Ze had specified a five-minute injection time.
As the medication was fully administered, within a minute or two, the patient’s heart rate dropped to 98 beats per minute, and their labored breathing began to ease noticeably. The patient, who had been gasping for air with their head tilted back, gradually calmed down and returned to their pre-crisis state.
Seeing this, everyone in the room let out a sigh of relief, including Xu Ze, whose heart had been in his throat the entire time. Several other patients who had been receiving injections nearby were amazed at how such a young doctor had managed to save a critically ill patient. They couldn’t help but praise him, saying, “This young doctor is really something! The old man was on the verge of death, but he managed to pull him back!”
The patient’s son, who had been visibly upset earlier, also relaxed. He approached Xu Ze with an apologetic smile and said gratefully, “Thank you, Doctor. I was too anxious earlier and spoke rudely. I’m really sorry.”
Xu Ze smiled understandingly and nodded. “It’s alright. I understand how you felt. As long as your father is okay now, that’s what matters.”
At that moment, Dr. Zhang rushed into the room, his face tense and carrying a medical kit. The pharmacist had called him earlier, so he had hurried back without stopping. However, upon seeing that all the patients were stable, he looked puzzled and turned to Sister Luo for an explanation.
Sister Luo happily explained, “Dr. Zhang, you’re back! This patient suddenly had difficulty breathing, but Xu Ze handled it. The patient is stable now. Please take a look.”
Dr. Zhang quickly went over to check on the patient, asking about their condition and conducting a thorough examination. Once he was satisfied, he called Xu Ze back to the consultation room to get a detailed account of what had happened.
After listening to Xu Ze’s explanation, Dr. Zhang’s face darkened, and a chill ran down his spine. He knew how dangerous a sudden onset of left heart failure could be. If not handled properly, it could lead to respiratory or cardiac arrest and sudden death.
Thankfully, Xu Ze had been there to manage the situation. If the patient had died and Dr. Zhang hadn’t been present, it would have been a major disaster.
Thinking this, Dr. Zhang wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead and looked at Xu Ze with newfound respect. He had initially seen Xu Ze as just an assistant, someone to help out around the clinic. He had never put much effort into teaching Xu Ze, simply letting him observe and learn what he could. Dr. Zhang had assumed that Xu Ze would only be able to handle simple cases, but he was surprised to see how well Xu Ze had managed such a critical situation without a single mistake.
After a moment of thought, Dr. Zhang smiled and said to Xu Ze, “Xu Ze, you did very well today. From now on, spend more time here learning with me and less time in the injection room and pharmacy. Also, starting this month, your salary will be increased to 1,000 yuan. Keep up the good work!”
“Ah…” Xu Ze was momentarily stunned by Dr. Zhang’s words but quickly regained his composure. Dr. Zhang was essentially saying that he would now formally teach Xu Ze, and Xu Ze wouldn’t have to learn by just observing anymore. On top of that, his monthly salary had increased by 200 yuan. Overjoyed, Xu Ze thanked Dr. Zhang, “Thank you, Dr. Zhang!”
Dr. Zhang nodded with a smile and said, “Alright, there’s nothing else for now. Go and read up on some more cases.”
As Xu Ze walked away with a spring in his step, Dr. Zhang’s smile deepened. He recalled the first time Xu Ze had come to the clinic.
Back then, Xu Ze had nervously stuttered his way through a request for a part-time job. Dr. Zhang had been furious at the time. How could a student think of working part-time in a clinic? This was a matter of life and death, not some casual job like sweeping floors or running errands. He had flatly refused.
But Xu Ze hadn’t given up. He had loitered around the clinic for two days, and when he noticed that the nurses were overwhelmed during the evenings, he had mustered the courage to charm his way in with his friendly demeanor. He had even helped administer a couple of injections.
To Dr. Zhang’s surprise, Xu Ze was quite skilled at giving injections. After earning the nurses’ approval, Xu Ze started coming in regularly, helping out whenever he could. He was quick and efficient, and the nurses stopped asking Dr. Zhang to hire additional help. Dr. Zhang had eventually accepted Xu Ze’s presence.
Over time, Dr. Zhang noticed that Xu Ze wasn’t just hardworking but also had a solid foundation in medicine. When the pharmacy was busy, Xu Ze would step in to help, and he was even more adept at preparing medications than the pharmacist. When things were quiet, Xu Ze would assist Dr. Zhang by taking blood pressure readings or copying prescriptions. He was meticulous and never made mistakes, becoming something of a jack-of-all-trades in the clinic.
After a month, Dr. Zhang felt compelled to pay Xu Ze a small salary of 600 yuan. Xu Ze had been overjoyed, and from then on, he would come to the clinic whenever he didn’t have classes, especially during busy evenings. Except for Fridays and Saturdays, he was almost always there, making life easier for the clinic staff.
Dr. Zhang had come to appreciate Xu Ze’s contributions and realized that the young man was eager to learn. He had started giving Xu Ze occasional pointers, but he never expected that Xu Ze, still only a third-year medical student, would prove to be so capable. Xu Ze had handled several diagnostic cases well and remained calm under pressure, even managing critical situations like the one today.
Dr. Zhang couldn’t help but think that Xu Ze was a promising talent. He began to consider taking Xu Ze on as a formal apprentice. If he trained Xu Ze well over the next couple of years, Xu Ze might just become a worthy successor by the time he graduated from medical school.
Meanwhile, Xu Ze was thrilled. From today onward, he would be formally learning under Dr. Zhang, and his monthly salary had increased by 200 yuan. Although he had been observing Dr. Zhang all along, he had never been allowed to directly examine patients. Now, with Dr. Zhang’s approval, he could openly participate in patient care.
The extra 200 yuan was also a big deal. It had taken him nearly a year to go from 600 to 800 yuan, and now he was earning 1,000 yuan. This was a significant improvement, especially since he only worked a few hours each day from Monday to Friday. Having a fixed monthly income of 1,000 yuan was quite good.
With this increase, Xu Ze would have a bit more spending money. Although he didn’t need much as a student, having some extra cash was always helpful. There were always expenses, like the jade Buddha he had bought recently, which had wiped out most of his savings and left him strapped for cash.
Thinking about the broken jade Buddha, Xu Ze sighed softly and shook his head, pushing those thoughts out of his mind.
