The story of the white-shirted soldiers silently 'racing' with death
There is a place where 24 hours a day are not silent, where the rhythm of life is not measured by time but by each breath, each fragile heartbeat between life and death. That is behind the doors of the Emergency Department, where people in white coats are always ready, doing their best to save the lives of unfortunate patients.
Where time waits for no one
The Emergency Department of Cua Dong General Hospital is always crowded with patients. Here, no one has the concept of rest, because many patients entering the department are in critical condition. Every time the ambulance siren arrives, a patient is rushed into the emergency room, the entire team of doctors and nurses immediately take their positions; the battle to save lives begins again.
Having worked in the Emergency Resuscitation Department for more than twenty years, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa - Head Nurse of the department cannot remember how many times she and her colleagues have been in a tense "race" to save the lives of patients. She most recently remembers a case of a male patient over 50 years old, admitted to the hospital in a state of circulatory arrest due to a myocardial infarction; his face was purple, his breathing was gradually fading, and there was only a straight line on the heart monitor.
Without a second of hesitation, the entire team immediately got into position, making the most of every golden moment to save the patient's life. Doctor Cuong - Deputy Head of Department directed the entire team: "Prepare for electric shock! One, two, three... shock!" The sound of the shock machine rang out, the whole room held its breath waiting... Doctor Hiep, Doctor Kien took turns continuing to perform chest compressions, nurse Thach took turns squeezing the Ambu bag, trying to retain the last bit of oxygen for the patient's body. The second and third electric shocks... Doctor Cuong still had a firm voice: "Continue! Can't stop yet!". Then suddenly the patient's weak heartbeat reappeared!
The whole team looked at each other and smiled, then continued to carry out the doctor's orders, administer medicine, and monitor the patient's vital signs. The patient had officially crossed the line between life and death!
After many anxious moments, the patient's family burst into tears of happiness, holding the doctor's hand, choking with emotion as they thanked the team. For the white-coat soldiers in the Emergency Resuscitation Department, this was the greatest reward and also the motivation to give them strength to continue on this challenging path.
The shifts are not peaceful.
The fight to save a patient’s life does not always go as planned. Ms. Hoa still remembers clearly one night on duty, when a very young patient with severe respiratory failure was admitted to the hospital. The doctor ordered immediate intubation. Another group focused on cardiac compression. The entire team tried their best, but then fell silent... there were battles that ended without the victory belonging to those in blue and white coats.
They had to suppress those emotions because there were dozens of other patients waiting outside the door. The pressure on emergency nurses came not only from serious cases, but also from things that few people understood.
Head nurse Nguyen Thi Hoa recounted a night shift when a drunk patient was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of digestive disorders. After being examined and given an injection, he stood up and left the department. It was thought that the shift would continue peacefully, but 18 hours later, a group of people rushed in, screaming for people and threatening doctors and nurses. They did not understand that the department had to classify patients, prioritizing those in critical condition; some people could lose their chance of survival if they were just one second late.
And a female nurse in the department once had a mental breakdown because of mental violence from a patient’s family, who poured out all their anger on her just because the doctors could not save a very serious case. Those feelings for the white-shirt soldiers could only be swallowed, hardly anyone could share them with them, and they tried to continue their journey to fulfill their mission…
The road is not paved with roses
“Every year, the Emergency Department still accepts dozens of nurses, but after each internship, only a few choose this path,” Ms. Nguyen Thi Van, the former head nurse of the hospital, once worried. Being an emergency nurse is not only about saving patients’ lives, but also about witnessing their deaths, facing looks, reproaches, and silent tears.
Overseas, a nurse takes care of a patient for 8 hours, but in Vietnam, they have to rotate between 5-6 patients, or even more. Work follows work, there is no time to rest. It is not surprising that young people have chosen to change paths, because only those who truly love the profession can stick with it!
“Dawn” behind the emergency room door
Despite the hardships, worries and nameless pressures, there are still simple happinesses that keep doctors and emergency nurses here. It is the bright eyes of a patient when he wakes up from a coma, the trembling words of thanks from an old man before his discharge, the tight handshakes that speak for a thousand words...
There are unforgettable memories with the nurse who performs this special duty. “I still remember Mrs. Ha - a patient who considered the Emergency Department as her home. Last year, before Tet, she was healthier than usual, holding my hand, her voice weak but full of warmth: "Hoa, thank you and everyone, this winter I will be able to celebrate Tet with my children and grandchildren again." But just two days later, she gradually weakened and quietly passed away on the 29th of Tet. Every time I witness someone passing away, my heart still sinks and amidst all those gains and losses, we learn to accept, learn to be strong to move on" - Ms. Hoa shared.
Although knowing that the journey to carry out the mission of reviving the unfortunate fates is a challenging path, the white-shirted soldiers still continue to move forward - because they have chosen to be the "fire keepers" for the fragile breaths!