Page 60 of Sinful in Scrubs

I did have thoughts about the patient’s treatment. But my concerns weren’t necessary. They would have only caused the patient unnecessary worry, as they were mostly about the protocol of communication between the department where she had initially been treated in the emergency room and her admission to the hospitalist’s care.

“Are you sure?” he asked again.

I sighed. “I do have questions, but they aren’t in regard to the patient’s care.”

“A good hospitalist should be knowledgeable in all aspects of their patient’s care,” was his response.

I smiled, nodded, and agreed while we were still in the room. It wasn’t until after we left that he paused and confronted me again.

“What was that all about?” he asked, nodding back toward the room.

I shook my head. “Nothing. Her post-surgical care seems to be just fine, as I mentioned.”

“Yeah, but you were thinking something.”

I was, but again, my concern had nothing to do with her current treatment but her earlier treatment. “The patient was in for a scheduled procedure, yet her intake forms indicate she went through the ER. I didn’t think that was something that needed to be brought up in her presence. I was simply curious why intake had occurred in that department.”

He nodded in understanding. “I understand you were a trauma surgeon.”

I nodded.

“So, what made you change your mind? Too rough?”

I lifted an eyebrow in his direction. “I didn’t change my mind. I still specialize in trauma surgery, specifically, pediatric. Only now, I also want to be part of the team that helps to make policy so that we know patients are being treated properly when they come through the emergency department. Thus my concern over planned surgical intake going through that department.”

He looked at me quizzically. “Then why are you here? Why are you on the hospitalist rotation? This is something we typically only do with new residents or when a new hospitalist joins the team.”

It was my turn to look at him quizzically. “Honestly? I thought this was just the hospital’s way of providing orientation.”

He hummed and nodded. “Well, shall we?” He indicated the next patient’s room.

“If you don’t mind,” I started, “since I’m not a future hospitalist, and as far as you’re aware, this isn’t standard procedure, I want to check in with HR, make sure something didn’t get missed. Then I’ll catch up with you.”

He nodded, seemingly unbothered. “You should be able to find me out here making the rounds.”

I nodded, giving him a brittle smile before high-tailing it down to administration.

Sylvia had that same bright smile she had possessed during all of our Zoom meetings. “Dr. Chen, how is it going?” she asked as I stepped into her office.

“Actually, I have a question for you about that,” I said as I stepped in and took a chair. “I was just shadowing Dr. Burnett.”

“Oh, yes, he is one of our hospitalists. He’s very good at his job.”

I nodded in agreement. “But I have a question for you,” I admitted. “He seemed a little… confused. Maybe not confused, but concerned as to why I had been put on his schedule in the first place.”

Sylvia’s smile didn’t change. It was completely frozen in place.

“You see, I thought that I had been assigned to work with him just to get an introduction to the hospital and everything, which made sense last week. But this is my second week, and I haven’t been in the ER department for more than a quick show-around.”

I frowned. “Wouldn’t it be better if I were actually working in my department, seeing how procedures and policies work there? Since that would be where any of my suggested changes come into play?”

Sylvia made a thoughtful humming noise as she contemplated what I was saying. “That does seem to make sense when you put it that way.” She paused. “I’ll see what I can find out.”

I thanked her. “If you need me,” I said, holding up my phone, “you know how to contact me.”

At least that aspect of the two hospitals was the same. They both used the same messaging feature, so I didn’t have to download and learn a different app.

Sylvia had no answers for me, and when I tried to locate the hospitalist in charge of the ER department, I was met with a lot of confused stares. Not only had they not known to expect me, but they also hadn’t even been aware that a new person had been hired for their department. This was beginning to not look very good.

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