When I'm on the night shift, all the department heads can't sleep.

When Lin Ye arrived at the bedside, Ma Hao was holding Cheng Xiao's right hand to perform a muscle strength retest.

"My thumb and index finger are more numb than before, and my grip strength is also a little weaker. My toes can move, and both legs feel the same."

The orthopedics phone line was still open, and Ma Hao reported the changes and the recording time again.

Lin Ye stood by the bed and first had Cheng Xiao hold two of his fingers, then had her raise her right arm.

His arm left the bed less than a hand's width above it before falling back down.

"What about the left side?"

Cheng Xiao raised her left arm, completing the entire movement.

Lin Ye pulled the sheet back over her shoulders: "Keep her in the current position. The MRI has been upgraded in priority, and the orthopedics department knows the symptoms have changed."

"The results aren't all in yet?"

"We still need an MRI." Lin Ye checked both sides of the neck brace again. "Keep the neck brace on until the MRI is complete."

Cheng Xiao gripped the edge of the bed with her left hand: "Is my hand getting worse?"

Lin Ye supported her left hand, guiding her to loosen her grip on the edge of the bed and place it back beside her: "Don't exert any force, and don't turn your head on your own. There's been a change since before; we'll have to wait for an MRI to determine the extent of the problem. Your legs are moving normally now, but the issue with your right hand is still under investigation."

The flatbed cart was pushed in from outside the curtain.

After clearing space at the MRI site, Ma Hao clipped the transfer slip to the headboard and checked the wristband, intravenous access, and personal metal items with the nurse.

"I'll go with her."

"Check the sensation in your right hand again on the way. If the area expands or there are changes in your leg, stop immediately and contact an orthopedic specialist."

"clear."

Cheng Xiao was wheeled out of the emergency room.

With the neck brace securely fastened on both sides and his right hand placed beside his body, Ma Hao followed the gurney into the corridor.

The second patient's heart was also at the last section.

Chen Li's heart rate was still around 130, and his oxygen mask was covered with a thin layer of fog.

The cardiologist put away the probe and reported the preliminary results to Lin Ye.

"There is no obvious pericardial effusion at the moment, and the overall left ventricular contraction is still acceptable. The troponin level in the first ventricle has just returned and is slightly elevated. Considering the impact mechanism and ECG changes, we will admit the patient to the intensive care unit based on the risk of blunt cardiac injury."

"What about a chest CT scan?"

"There is no aortic injury or massive hemopneumothorax. There is contusion of the soft tissue behind the sternum. The official report has not yet been released."

Lin Ye added the results to the medical record, writing down the dates of the first electrocardiogram, troponin, and bedside echocardiogram in sequence.

The cardiologist signs the consultation opinion at the end and notifies the intensive care unit to reserve a bed.

Upon hearing that he needed to be hospitalized, Chen Li reached out and touched his oxygen mask: "How long will I need to stay?"

"Let's observe the changes in the electrocardiogram and troponin levels. He'll definitely need to stay in the ICU tonight." The cardiologist handed the consultation form to the nurse. "He's conscious right now, but he might develop heart rhythm problems later."

Chen Li put his hand back on the edge of the bed: "The goods are still on the truck."

Nurse Zhao is checking the transport wristband.

"The person goes to the intensive care unit first, and the goods are handled by the traffic police and the company. If you go back to the highway now, you'll only be giving them another ambulance."

After a moment of silence, Chen Li gave the company's contact number.

Nurse Zhao wrote down the number and handed the phone back to him: "We'll talk to the company about it later when we get to the ICU."

The stretcher in the intensive care unit quickly arrived outside the second bed.

Lin Ye and the receiving doctor completed the bedside handover, focusing on reporting the accident mechanism, changes in chest pain, heart rate trends, the first electrocardiogram, and the first tube of troponin.

Only after the doctor verifies the oxygen, intravenous access, and monitoring are they allowed to push the cart.

As Chen Li passed through the curtain, he glanced at Lin Ye for a moment and asked, "Dr. Lin, is my heart condition really caused by the accident?"

"It's currently called the risk of blunt cardiac injury. The cardiologist will explain things clearly when the follow-up test results come out."

Chen Li nodded, and the stretcher left the emergency area.

With the second bed empty, Nurse Zhao changed the sheets and put the monitoring cable back on the equipment rack.

She had just put the oxygen mask into the treatment vehicle when the nurse in bed three came over with the report.

"There are no obvious fractures in the right forearm and wrist; soft tissue injury is suspected. The head injury has been observed so far; the patient is conscious, has not vomited again, and the dizziness has not worsened. The family has arrived."

The driver of the three-bed vehicle sat on the edge of the bed, his right wrist still immobilized.

His family members stood beside him and took his coat.

Lin Ye re-examined his pupils, orientation, and peripheral blood circulation in his wrist. He then explained the post-discharge observation items to him and his family one by one: if his headache worsened, he vomited repeatedly, or he became drowsy and unresponsive, he should return immediately; if his wrist swelling and pain worsened or his fingers became numb, he should also have a follow-up visit.

The family members agreed to stay with the patient throughout the night for observation and repeated the return-to-hospital warnings before the nurses allowed them to sign the observation record.

Before leaving, the driver stopped at the foot of the bed: "How are those two people up ahead?"

"One is undergoing further examination, and the other has been transferred to the intensive care unit."

He opened his mouth, but in the end only said one sentence: "I really thought that if I could walk, everything would be fine."

Nurse Zhao handed him the discharge papers: "Make fewer of these kinds of certificates in the future. A person isn't a car's dashboard; just because a light isn't on doesn't mean there's nothing wrong inside."

The driver took the documents and left with the family members.

All three beds are empty.

The emergency area fell into a brief silence, with only the low hum of the equipment in standby mode.

Nurse Zhao wrote down in the nursing handover log that the patient in bed two was transferred to the cardiology intensive care unit and the patient in bed three was under observation before leaving the hospital. Her pen stopped when it reached the column for bed one.

"The MRI results haven't come back yet."

"Leave it blank." Lin Ye pushed the nursing handover book back. "Wait for Ma Hao's call."

A few minutes later, Ma Hao returned from the other end of the corridor, his mask hanging on one ear and his medical records tucked into his chest.

"The preliminary MRI results are in. There is damage to the soft tissues and intervertebral discs of the cervical spine, and abnormal signals around the right nerve root. No obvious spinal cord compression has been observed yet. The orthopedic specialist will admit the patient for further observation, and the cervical collar will be retained."

"Your hand is numb?"

"It hasn't expanded further; the grip strength is still poor. The orthopedics department has taken over."

Ma Hao added the follow-up examination time and changes in his right hand to the medical record, and also added two lines to the bed column of the doctor's handover sheet.

Nurse Zhao then added the destination to the nursing handover book: Orthopedic Ward.

Ma Hao sat down next to the workstation, and just as his hand touched the back of the chair, he stood up again to pour water.

He turned his head halfway through taking the paper cup and said, "What if I had reported it a few minutes later when Cheng Xiao's hand was getting numb and her condition worsened?"

Lin Ye leaned against the edge of the platform and stretched his aching fingers: "The report has already been submitted. A few minutes' delay in handling numbness probably won't make much difference."

Ma Hao turned off the water dispenser: "I just wanted her to lift it again, because I was afraid I might have misread it."

Ma Hao brought back the water, took a sip, and said, "The second patient's heart rate was so fast, my first thought was that he had a chest injury."

Nurse Zhao closed the handover log: "You were watching over one bed back then. If you were really watching over three beds at the same time, no one would be able to leave tonight."

Ma Hao flattened the paper cup, then slowly unfolded it: "I'll call you earlier next time."

Lin Ye responded and bent down to sort the medical records of the three beds according to their destinations.

One copy for the cardiology intensive care unit, one copy for the orthopedics department, and archive the records of patients discharged after observation.

Ma Hao looked at the emergency room and asked, "Is this all done?"

Nurse Zhao put the handover book into the drawer: "This round of work is done."

Lin Ye looked up at the clock on the wall.

There are still a few hours before the early shift handover.

He picked up the water bottle, unscrewed it, and took a sip: "Let's go through the medical records of the patient in bed three first. If we missed anything, let's fill it in now."

Ma Hao dragged a chair next to him and opened his notebook.

Nurse Zhao sat back down at the triage desk and began checking the next round of IV infusions.