I stepped into the trauma room and looked at the team I had last night, "First things first, I apologize for the way I acted during our shift," I told them getting off looks from the trauma team, "I use to run field hospitals in war zones," I told them, "and the amount of trauma to the griffon caused some flashbacks, in the hospital I used to run, and the hospital I worked in post-discharge yelling in the trauma bay in those situations was normal and encouraged," I said taking a deep breath, "I now understand that my actions were wrong and unacceptable." I explained to them noticing a new mare, a pair of leathery wings on her back, clearly frustrated as she looked between the stallions in the room.
"I'm not sure I can work with you." one of the ponies said, the one who puked.
"I don't expect you to work with me, I expect you to learn from me so you don't have to work with me," I said walking forward, "I have more relevant experience with severe trauma than most ponies I have met, I have performed surgery in the dirtiest field hospitals, I have dragged men from the brink of death to running and playing with their children," I told them, "and I fucking hate trauma medicine, it's why I'm not trying to take care of another one of your traumas, by the time I'm done with you, you're going to be able to handle treating patients while people are trying to kill you," my voice wavered, "and by god do I hope you never have to." I told them.
They were very perky when they noticed how much nicer I was during training, "Thanks for the pointer on clamping, Anonymous." one of the doctors said as I gave him a thumbs up after he 'stopped' the 'bleed' on our dummy.
"It's Anna, Maus, or Euclid, if you're feeling spicy," I told him, "Now everyone what is gauze used for when it's brought with a trauma patient?" I asked, one of the stallions piping up first after the mare raised her hoof.
"A snack for the vampire," he said laughing getting an uproar from the rest of the team, the mare blushed and lowered her hoof covering her face with her wings.
"The mare in the back who has been quiet my entire class," I called out, "What is gauze used for when a victim enters our trauma bay with it already applied or in a bag with him?" I asked her walking forward.
"To gauge blood loss, and adjust treatment appropriately, it also doesn't have to be gauze it just has to be any absorbent material," she shyly said a thick accent coming through, "I'm doctor Leech, a recent transfer from Batsylvania, don't let the name fool you, bat ponies are the minority there." she told me
"Very nice to meet you, Dr. Leech, and you are correct we use any blood soaked material to measure blood loss, extra points for pointing out that it can be any absorbent material to treat bleeds if you don't have access to gauze in the field," I said before slamming my cane on a table, "Also, there's is nothing wrong with playful teasing if it doesn't make your collogues uncomfortable or affects their self esteem." I stated raising my voice as I looked over the collected group of doctors.
They gulped as one of them stepped forward, "I'm sorry Dr. Leech, for calling you a vampire because of the fangs and the bat wings, it was inappropriate and unprofessional." he said letting out a sigh.
Dr. Leech gave a sheepish smile, "Thank you for the apology." she said before the stallion burst out laughing, causing the bat pony to flinch, the others joining him.
"You actually bought that?" he asked wiping tears from his eyes as I chuckled lightly, before shoving him against the wall, smacking his horn when he tried to ignite it.
"You think last night was an empty threat, I will put you in a theatre," I growled out before hearing a mare clear her throat, turning my head I saw the administrator and if looks could kill, "Administrator File." I cordially greeted tossing the stallion to the side and adjusting my tie as he crawled away.
"I believe I told you last night, that you were on thin ice," she said through gritted teeth before putting on a smile, "So you better have a very good reason for this behavior," she told me in a sweet tone that sent a shiver down my spine, "Come with me." she ordered walking out of the trauma bay I followed with some hesitation after grabbing my cane.
"Administrator," I nervously started, "this doesn't really excuse my behavior," I told her swallowing, "but they were bullying the young bat pony mare because of how she looked, and then offered a fake apology," I sighed, "I'll go clear out my locker." I told her heading down the hall.
"Anna stop," she called out, "you're under a lot of stress right now and you told me during the hiring process that you didn't want to work in the E.R," she sighed when I reached her, "I'll overlook this, for a favor," I smiled, at first, "I want you take Dr. Leech under your metaphorical wings, she's just a first year resident, and work in the E.R some nights." begrudgingly I nodded, she turned and walked back to the trauma bay.
"Dr. Leech, follow me please," she called out walking back over to me with the bat pony close behind, "I'm reassigning you to work with Dr. Maus in the clinic-" Leech pursed her lips, "Dr. Maus did however agree to work the E.R some nights, I think you'll learn a lot of great things from her." Administrator File said before walking down the hall.
"Dr. Maus, I'm ready to learn whatever you have to teach me," she said grabbing a paper towel and dabbing her puffy eyes, "but I have to ask are you a good doctor?" her wings nervously twitched with her question.
"Well yes I am a good trauma doctor, but an even better family medicine doctor," I said motioning her to follow me; pushing open a door with my cane I turned around to speak to her directly, "under my tutelage you will learn more than just emergency and family medicine, you will learn to survive and manipulate your colleagues," I told her getting a curious tilt of her head, "rule 1 always be polite to the nurses, they are the key to your career and will often bring you snacks if your nice," I explained, "they also have all of the hot goss, rule 2 is don't be afraid to ask for help or look through a manuscript for information it's better to look clueless than mistreat a patient." Entering the clinic, she looked around before tapping me as I grabbed the offered patient file.
"So, if I don't know what is happening I should get a specialist in?" she asked me following me to the exam room.
"Not necessarily, sometimes you just need a consult from a doctor with more experience," I told her opening the door, "So for example, if another human were to walk through those doors you would get a consult from me instead of treating something you have no knowledge of," I explained, "Good Morning Mrs Sparkle," I cheerily greeted looking at the lilac mare sitting on the exam room table, "I'm Dr. Maus, and this is my first year protégé Dr. Leech, recent transfer Batsylvania," I introduced us.
"Good morning doctors." Twilight said squinting her eyes as she looked at us rubbing her hooves against her temples.
"Okay, now since Dr. Leech is fresh out medical school you don't mind if I do a differential so she can learn some diagnostic skills do you and also letting her do most of the exam?" I asked getting a shake of the mares head a light groan coming from her, "Now what seems to be the problem?" I questioned pulling up her chart and reading it.
"I've been having migraines for a few months now, at first they were just here and there bit they've become a lot more frequent." she whined I hummed seeing the chart matched her statement.
I glanced over to Leech and made a motion with my hand, realizing what I wanted from her, she stepped up to the exam table and began her inquiry, "Okay, and I'd like to help with that, so I need you to be honest with me," Leech told her, "do you smoke?" A quick shake of the head from Twilight confirmednmy suspicions, "Alright, drink alcohol and if so how much," I watched Twilight groan while trying to think.
"I do but not often and I don't go benders when I do," she said laying down.
"Alright, sexually active or any recreational drug use?" A quiet no escaped Twilights lips, Leech looked over to me, and I pointed to my forehead, "Right, right, please sit up and open your eyes for me Mrs Sparkle," she requested, Twilight slowly pushed her self up and opened her eyes, Leech didn't even use her penlight. Twilights pupils were fully dilated and she had subconjunctival hemorrhaging, "Dr. Maus I think I need that consult from you." Leech squeeked out.
Limping over to the counter, opening the drawer I gripped the mana voltage tester (M.V.T) and approached Twilight, "Okay, Dr. Leech it appears we have a case of severe extended mana exhaustion," I told her and cutting the young mare off before she could talk, "while true such a case would normally present with wildly more severe symptoms, in the rarest and most deadly cases it presents with symptoms similar to this," I explained holding up the M.V.T I didn't need to instruct Twilight she ignited her horn and gripped the device causing arcs of electricity to run down the rod before lightning shot from it and struck the light fixture while cracking the rod and mushrooming the tip, "Alright." I dryly said swallowing air.
"I barely squeezed it, I'm so sorry," Twilight said as light from the hall entered the room, "I-I don't know what happened." I saw Leech shakily leaving the room as Redheart peeked her head around the corner.
"It would actually appear that you are suffering from increased flow of mana and your body's reserve is unable to keep up," I wasn't sure why I couldn't really focus on anything else other than the diagnosis or why I was still holding the M.V.T, "I'm going to prescribe you a mana inhibitor and then you get your reserve tested in a month to see if you need to continue medication, I'll have Dr. Leech give you the details," I dully said as we walked out Twilight rambling an apology as I looked at my hand, seeing my skin fused to the device, "Oh, it would appear I need a doctor." I said before passing out.