Posted by Lieutenant Daphne Frankenstein (Chief Medical Officer) in Sickbay - Dr McCall checks in

Posted by Cadet Dr Alex McCall (Doctor) in Sickbay - Dr McCall checks in
Stepping across the threshold and in to sickbay, Alex immediately felt somewhat at home in the familiar surroundings, the comforting beeps and trills of medical equipment, so often the background noise to his life, as reassuring to him as morning birdsong would be to another.

He glanced about, taking in the layout and how the chief medical officer liked to arrange things, quietly filling away a few changes he would suggest once he was more settled in.

“Hello? Doctor?” He called, unable to see the senior officer that his briefing PADD told him to meet here.

Cadet McCall, MD

“Back here,” a voice called out from one of the sickbay beds. The voice sounded a little bit strained and there seemed to be another voice talking in a hushed whisper creating the dull white noise of someone talking to a patient. “If you are here for a check-up take a seat. If you are a doctor I need you back here stat.” The voice had the calm control of someone who was in the middle of something important but the tension only those in the medical field would understand as I need help.

Alex quickened his step, tossing his holdall in to a chair as he passed it, the call to duty so ingrained as to make the actions automatic. A couple of years in a busy ER department had gotten him quite used to dropping whatever sandwich, coffee, or nurse he had been holding when he heard that tone of voice. As he stepped closer he felt the slight tingle of the auto-sterilisation field do it’s work, the familiar feeling instantly concentrating his mind on the task ahead as he got his ‘game face’ on.

As the person entering sickbay came around the corner, they would see the medical chief hunched over a small object on the table. At first glance, the size and shape might lead one to think it was a baby or small child yet this was a cadetship and not one with children. The other person in the room was blocking the entering medical cadet’s view of the patient on the table.

Daphne quickly glanced up and saw the man standing there was in blue and felt a sigh of relief. “You,” she said, “I need you to get a set of mico clamps. Bring the 1 cm and the 5 cm ones. They are in the cabinet behind me, left side, the third drawer down.” Blowing a lock of hair out of her eyes she directed her attention to the other person in the room. “Nancy, I am going to have him switch out with you.”

Alex nodded his understanding , moved quickly over to the cabinet, and with quick deft movements selected the paediatric clamps, glad that whoever had set up the theatre had done so in a fairly logical and standard manner.

As with all guests of patients, NE Nancy shook her head wide-eyed but before she could protest Daphne shook her head. “Nancy he is a doctor and Timmy is going to be fine. I need someone with better skills than dissecting to help me get the ball bearing out of his esophageal cavity. He is going to be fine but when he comes up next to you I need you to hand him the clamp and go get a cup of coffee in my office. Glancing up at the cadet, Daphne locked eyes with the man. “Ready. Count of three. One…Two,” she led and then waited for the cadet to indicate three and that he was switching with NE Nancy to help complete the surgery.

Daphne Frankenstien CMO

“Three!” Alex slipped quickly into position, easing NE Nancy to one side as he did so, gently but firmly. Alex locked eyes with the Ensign and gave her his best reassuring smile.

“It’s ok Nancy, I’ll take it from here.” Alex quickly ran his eyes over the available scanning data, assessing the patients condition, and then turned a questioning eye on the other Doctor.

“So what do we have?” Said Alex, in the clipped, precise tones of a professional. His patients and colleagues had always found his soft voice, well spoken British accent, with just a slight lilt, courtesy of his Native Edinburgh, to be comforting in a stressful situation.

Cadet Alex McCall, MD