Although Lu Shuyan was here only to go through the motions, and she also had a master’s degree, she didn’t act prideful at all. Truly, people couldn’t be judged based on appearances. Zhang Fan didn’t even need to ask her to help fill out the paperwork for the old man’s surgery, as she did it all without asking.
The urology department’s other attending physicians all saw that Zhang Fan had accepted the old man as a patient who required a prostatectomy, which was a surgery to remove all or part of the prostate gland. Thus, the attending physicians all wanted to see what Zhang Fan would do.
A prostatectomy wasn’t considered a very difficult urology surgery. However, it would be impossible to perform a prostatectomy without at least several years of experience in urology. A newbie doctor would be unable to control the necessary strength properly. Just using even slightly too much strength would easily result in penetrating the prostate.
If Zhang Fan didn’t personally perform the prostatectomy, and instead asked Vice Director Wang Zongkui, whom he was assigned to, to help perform the surgery, then the attending physicians would all begin complaining. “He can’t even perform a basic urology surgery, so why does he get to lead his own medical team?” Actually, the most important part to them was that they didn’t think that Zhang Fan deserved to split the department’s bonuses with them.
Zhang Fan performed a regular checkup on the old man, followed by a finger rectal examination. This was an examination that very few doctors were willing to perform, because it required the doctor to insert their finger into the patient’s rectum to feel the prostate. In China, this was really unpopular with both doctors and patients, so finger rectal examinations were performed less and less now. However, Zhang Fan was unwilling to let go of even a single chance to grind his surgical experience for his System. He also felt that this type of inspection would help him learn new things.
Vice Director Wang was also waiting for Zhang Fan to request his assistance. A rotation doctor who wasn’t a urology specialist wouldn’t even be able to handle endoscopes properly, much less perform urology surgeries. However, Director Li had especially told Vice Director Wang to take good care of Zhang Fan. Not to mention, Zhang Fan did indeed have his medical license, so everyone was curious what would happen.
Lu Shuyan had three previous years of experience studying at a provincial level Class A hospital. She told Zhang Fan, “You’re attracting far too much attention. Just look at how nobody is saying a single thing, and how they’re all waiting to watch your surgery. Do you have any guarantee of being able to perform it? If not, don’t force yourself. The medical field is all about the accumulation of experience as you grow older. Don’t be embarrassed not to know how to perform a surgery. If you don’t know how to perform a prostatectomy, feel free to talk to Vice Director Wang.”
Lu Shuyan was being nice enough to remind Zhang Fan because they were both young doctors who had recently joined the hospital. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have said anything.
“I think I can do it! I studied before at Bluebird City Hospital!” Zhang Fan used his typical excuse for why he knew how to perform so many surgeries.
“So it was you! Should I hit you or thank you?”
“Eh?” Zhang Fan was confused.
“My ex-boyfriend graduated with a master’s degree in orthopedic spine surgery. He was going to sign up for orthopedic surgery here, but then saw the recruitment conditions, and was unable to come here. In the end, he went to southern China. He asked me to go to southern China with him, but I refused because my parents are here. Then we broke up!”
“Oh! You’re an excellent woman, so you can find another boyfriend easily! No worries!” Zhang Fan was focused on practicing how to perform prostatectomies in his System right now, and wasn’t paying much attention to what she was saying. His answer was quite half-hearted.
“I’m turning into an old maid!”
Later that afternoon, the old patient’s checkup results all came back as normal. Zhang Fan reported his surgical plan to Director Li, who looked over the surgical plan, and asked, “How is it? Can you guarantee that you can accomplish this surgery? Do you need me to be in the operating room as backup?”
“There shouldn’t be any problems. Director, if you’re not busy, feel free to be my backup. That’ll give me more confidence!”
“Ha! With you saying that it won’t be a problem at all, it actually confuses me even more. You even know how to perform urology surgeries? You’re really not a simple man at all!”
“Haha, it’s all thanks to Director Li giving me a chance to perform urology surgery. Otherwise, it would be useless even though I know how to perform urology surgeries.”
“Stop kissing my a*ss. How about you come to our urology department after you finish your rotations? The attending physicians here are almost about to be promoted to having second-highest level certifications. If you come here, how about I give you the position of head resident doctor?”
“Oh! You’ll have to ask Superintendent Ouyang about that. I can’t decide such things.”
“Oh, forget it then! Go prepare for the surgery!” Li Jianguo instantly retreated. Before, he had been the carefree type, but ever since Ouyang Hong became the superintendent, he felt truly awkward as his ex-girlfriend was now his boss as well as married to someone else! He wanted to avoid even talking about Ouyang Hong, much less see her!
Zhang Fan handed over the surgical plan which had Director Li’s signature of approval over to Vice Director Wang Zongkui. “Oh, go ahead and prepare for the surgery, then. It will be the first scheduled surgery for tomorrow morning. I’ll also come over and observe.” Although Wang Zongkui didn’t say anything else, he actually was quite worried since Zhang Fan was just a rotation doctor. Director Li had also told him to specially take care of Zhang Fan, but if Zhang Fan caused a medical incident, he would also be held responsible as Zhang Fan was under his charge.
“Alright. I’ll go start the medical report.”
“Okay, go work on what you need to.”
Zhang Fan began writing the medical report. “You’re really going to personally perform the surgery?” Lu Shuyan asked as she looked over Zhang Fan’s surgical plan.
“Yeah! You’re also joining in for this surgery as my surgical assistant.”
“Sure. I’m also quite curious.”
“What’s there to be curious about!” Zhang Fan asked.
“Of course I’m curious! Back when I was at the provincial hospital, even a master’s degree student would only be able to independently perform the easiest and most basic surgeries. My ex-boyfriend was an excellent student, but even he was only able to do the simple bone fixations. I heard that you were also a team leader in the orthopedic surgery department, which is why I’m truly curious.”
“Oh! Okay!”
Zhang Fan didn’t need to do any of the work such as having the patient’s family sign the paperwork, giving them medical advice, and so on, as Lu Shuyan did all of that for him without even needing to ask her. Well, since the two of them only had the old man as their only patient so far, there wasn’t much other work to do.
A large group of the old man’s relatives arrived. He had four sons and three daughters. Although the old man had a really strange and bad temper, his children seemed to be much more considerate and easier to get along with. They all tried to volunteer to pay for the old man’s hospital fees. Judging from their clothing and appearances, the entire family seemed to be quite well off.
“Doctor Zhang, please pay extra attention to his care, and forgive him for his bad temper. It’s because he used to be the head warden at a prison. Although he’s retired for many years now, he still hasn’t changed his temper from that time. This is a little something just for you. Please accept it.” One of the old man’s sons handed Zhang Fan a red packet.
However, Zhang Fan had learned a really good lesson from the W Province southerner. Zhang Fan felt that he should properly follow the rules and regulations; otherwise, a major problem would happen sooner or later. “There’s truly no need for this. Your family has already paid the hospital fees. Taking proper care of your father is something we should do regardless. I truly can’t accept this.”
The patient’s family sincerely tried to give him a red packet, but Zhang Fan didn’t dare to accept it! Zhang Fan’s attitude remained adamant even after several attempts to convince him. When the family saw that he truly wasn’t accepting any red packets, they went back home. Right after the patient’s family all left Zhang Fan’s office in the urology department, Lu Shuyan commented, “I never would have expected that you’re someone who’s so upstanding even though you’re in the doctor profession. Besides, it doesn’t seem like the patient’s family is poor at all. That amount of money shouldn’t put their family in any hardship. Why didn’t you take it?”
Zhang Fan hadn’t dared to accept the red packet, but it was also inconvenient for him to tell Lu Shuyan about what had happened in the respiratory department. It wasn’t like the W Province southerner had been poor, right? The issue wasn’t whether the patient was well off or not. It was simply wrong to accept red packet bribes to begin with. There was no need to accept bribes, and if another patient who accused Zhang Fan of being a dirty doctor who only worked for bribes appeared, Zhang Fan would lose too much face to stay at Chasu City Hospital anymore.
“It’s not that I’m particularly upstanding,” Zhang Fan said as he continued writing the medical report.
“Then what was the reason?” Lu Shuyan asked.
“Oh! I’ll go check on the patient!” Zhang Fan didn’t know how to reply. He decided to ignore her as he didn’t want to explain the previous respiratory department incident!
Later that afternoon, when Zhang Fan was almost done with his work shift, the director of the medical imaging department came to find Zhang Fan. One of the prison head warden’s sons just happened to be classmates with the medical imaging department director. Since Zhang Fan hadn’t accepted any money, the patient’s family was rather worried, so they asked a classmate to help them out. When the medical imaging department director heard that the primary surgeon for the surgery would be Zhang Fan, he said, “Relax, that youngster is a really amazing doctor. I’ll go talk to him. Maybe your father spoke too harshly and angered him!”
“Doctor Zhang, are you off work yet? How about we eat dinner together?” The medical imaging director stopped Zhang Fan in a stairway.
“What’s going on, Director Zhao? Please just tell me directly, there’s no need to be reserved with me.”
“It’s nothing much. You recently accepted an elderly male patient who has a bad temper, right? His son happens to be a high school classmate of mine. His family would like to express their thanks and invite you to a meal today.” Director Zhao didn’t mention anything about money or bribes. At a hospital, it was common for everyone to pretend not to know anything about such things.
“Oh! There really is no need. I apologize, Director Zhao, I don’t think I can go today. My younger sister just recently came to visit me, and even if you don’t tell me to, I would do my best for any patient, not to mention a patient who’s your friend’s father. Rest assured, I’ll do my very best.”
“Haha! I really am quite reassured with you as the surgeon. Are you sure you won’t come to the meal? How about you bring your younger sister with you?”
“There’s honestly no need, Director Zhao! I’ll accept their sincere feelings. Tell the family that there really isn’t any need.”
“Alright then. Let’s wait for after the surgery is over.” Director Zhao also knew about the incident with the respiratory department, so he didn’t try and force Zhang Fan.
However, Zhang Fan’s action of refusing to accept a red packet caused some minor confusion and misunderstanding for the patient’s family. The old man’s children all knew quite well that their father’s temper was quite terrible. Previously, the old man had been hospitalized in the cardiology department, but when he returned to his doctor there, the doctor refused to see him, and told him to go find another doctor instead. It was because the old man had cursed at the doctor too much!
Comments