Touching story of fighting for a patient's life on New Year's Eve

Unforgettable New Year's Eve

Young doctor Ngo Quoc Cuong, Department of Intensive Care and Anti-Poison, Khanh Hoa General Hospital, had an impressive New Year's Eve shift 3 years ago. According to tradition, at New Year's Eve, doctors would gather in the lobby to listen to New Year's greetings and receive lucky money from the Hospital's Board of Directors. That night, with only a few minutes left until New Year's Eve, a patient in the department suddenly had a cardiac arrest. The entire team left behind all thoughts and feelings of the New Year and focused on performing CPR. 15 "golden" minutes of effort saved the patient from the hands of death. Although this case was not the first, it was a case that all the doctors on duty that day still remember to this day, because it was so impressive. After 3 years of being saved from that New Year's Eve, patient A Ly, an ethnic minority in Khanh Hoa province, is now healthy and living happily every day.

Surgery on New Year's Eve by doctors at Khanh Hoa General Hospital

After 10 years working in the medical field, for Dr. Cuong, Tet is only a little different from normal days in the last moments of the year. Outside the hospital, people are busy buying apricot trees, peach branches, chrysanthemum pots... to gather together for the New Year's Eve meal. In the hospital, doctors are not allowed to leave their positions, ready to do any assigned tasks. No matter how "cool-headed, warm-hearted" a doctor is, the last day of the year also has a quiet moment and that time passes very quickly when there is an emergency, treating a patient. At that time, doctors immediately get into the swing of things, taking advantage of every minute to ensure the patient's life.

"Choosing a medical career means I've decided that I won't be with my family on nights off. No matter how hard the Tet holiday shift is, I have to complete my duties and ensure the safety of my patients," Dr. Cuong shared.

The Tet shift of doctors from the Department of Intensive Care and Poison Control, Khanh Hoa General Hospital, before the New Year's Eve. Doctor Ngo Quoc Cuong (blouse on the far left, during the night shift on the 30th of Tet)

PHOTO: NVCC

After a stressful night of work, on the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, Dr. Cuong drove his motorbike to return home to be with his family and visit his grandparents on the first day of the New Year. According to Dr. Cuong, he did not choose a bus or train but rode a motorbike from Khanh Hoa province to Phu Yen (about 100 km) because he was looking forward to returning home early, and also wanted to enjoy the moment of spring travel and sightseeing on the first day of the year.

Saving a life is the spring of doctors

There are also those on duty on New Year's Eve like Dr. Cuong, Dr. Tran Ha Thien An, who, after changing shifts on the morning of the first day, quickly grabbed his backpack alone and rode a motorbike back to Gia Lai province to reunite with his family. Dr. Thien An said that such trips back on New Year's Day are about 7 hours long and only happen once every few years. Because the doctors all take turns, some years it's their turn to work on New Year's Eve but other years it's not. Riding a motorbike for such a long distance is a last resort, because there are no buses running from Khanh Hoa to Gia Lai on the morning of the first day of the New Year, and he can't wait any longer to be home to celebrate the New Year with his family.

Doctor Tran Ha Thien An gives emergency treatment to a patient on New Year's Eve

PHOTO: NVCC

Talking about the Tet shift, Doctor Thien An is very happy because he has caring colleagues who work closely with him. In addition to the delicious Tet dishes prepared by the department, each person on duty brings more delicious dishes and treats each other to meals on the day of duty. Although far from home, it is very warm. The biggest wish of the doctors during Tet is not to increase salary or reduce working hours but to be equipped with more modern medical equipment. Only with good, modern equipment can emergency and treatment work be ensured smoothly, especially in the Intensive Care and Anti-Poison Department.

Doctor Tran Quoc Vinh (32 years old), Orthopedic Trauma - Burn Center, Khanh Hoa General Hospital, talked about his New Year's Eve shifts where he only had a few dozen minutes to think about Tet, the rest of his time was spent on surgery and treating emergency cases at night. There were shifts where traffic accidents occurred, causing 3-4 cases to be hospitalized at the same time. From the moment of New Year's Eve, he continued working until the morning of the first day.

Tet duty shift of doctors at the Center for Trauma, Orthopedics and Burns

PHOTO: NVCC

Specialist II Doctor Pham Dinh Thanh, Deputy Director of the Center for Orthopedic Trauma and Burns, thinks back on his 23 years of work, with most of the New Year's Eve spent in the operating room. If there are few surgeries, they are finished by morning, but there are years when they have to wait until noon on the first day of the new year to finish. Working under such pressure, when stepping out of the operating room, Doctor Thanh immediately thinks about how the patient will recover after surgery, what is the best treatment plan for the patient... Then he thinks about his family and the New Year.

Dr. Nguyen Luong Ky, Deputy Director of Khanh Hoa General Hospital, acknowledged the indescribable hardships of the hospital's doctors and nurses during night shifts, especially during Tet. Understanding these difficulties, on New Year's Eve, the Hospital's Board of Directors always paid attention and encouraged the doctors and nurses on duty during Tet. There are doctors who, even though they do not receive New Year's greetings at New Year's Eve, save a life at that moment, which is their joy, their spring, their Tet holiday.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chuyen-xuc-dong-ve-nhung-dem-giao-thua-gianh-giat-su-song-cho-benh-nhan-185250129135949205.htm