Free Dr. Campbell's Secret Son by Anne Fraser Page A

expression before deciding that discretion was the better part of valour. He sidled towards the exit, grumbling volubly.
    ‘Thanks, Sarah, Jamie,’ said Karen. ‘I must admit I was relieved you came along when you did. But now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a couple of patients waiting to see me.’ As she left them, Jamie looked at Sarah. ‘Are you all right?’
    ‘I’m perfectly fine,’ she said. It was her turn to be annoyed. ‘I know you meant well, Jamie, but when are you going to realise I’m a big girl now and perfectly able to take care of myself and my staff?’
    ‘I’ve never been in any doubt that you can. You made that crystal clear again last night.’
    ‘Please, forget about last night, Jamie. I should never have…’ She searched for the right words. ‘Kissed you,’ she managed at last, although they both knew it had been much more than that. She would have gone to bed with him, if Jamie hadn’t pulled away. She suspected he knew that and cringed inwardly. ‘It’s just that you caught me at a vulnerable moment.’ Sarah said stiffly, her cheeks flushing at the memory.
    ‘It was my fault,’ Jamie answered. ‘But I’m not sure I want to forget about it entirely.’ He smiled lazily.
    ‘Well, it’s not going to happen again!’ Sarah retorted. ‘So can we, please, just stick to talking about work?’
    ‘Sarah I…’ Jamie started. ‘No, you’re right. It’s best if we stick to clinical subjects for the time being.’ Before Sarah could think about his words he went on, ‘You’ve heard we’re expecting a young man with multiple trauma?’ He paused as the wail of an ambulance got louder and then shut off abruptly. ‘Sounds like he’s just arrived. Come on. Let’s go.’
    While the patient was being wheeled into Resus, the paramedics reeled off information on his status.
    ‘Twenty-four-year-old, name’s Tom Kennedy, according to his driving licence. Discovered unconscious at the foot of the Clyde Bridge half an hour ago by a member of the public. Has a GCS of 6, BP 90 over 45, pulse 125 and respirations 18 per minute. Bleeding extensively from a head wound, fractured right tibia and fibula, which have been stabilised. Bruising to abdomen.’ The room filled up with medical and nursing staff as they all gathered around the gurney where the patient lay.
    ‘OK,’ Sarah said, snapping on gloves. ‘Is someone stabilising his head and neck? Good. On my count of three remove the stretcher underneath him.’ Once the manoeuvre was completed with practised timing, Lizzie gently and expertly cut away the bloodied clothes from Tom.
    The paramedic continued, ‘No morphine given due to his poor level of consciousness and respiratory distress. IV fluids given stat and second litre of saline almost through. Twenty-eight per cent Oxygen running at 6 litres via a trauma mask.’
    Before Jamie put on the gown and gloves that one of the nursing staff held out for him he passed Sarah a pair of protective goggles. Sarah glanced around the room to ensure that all the staff were wearing theirs.
    ‘I’ll take care of his airway and head injury if that’s OK with you, Sarah?’ Jamie suggested, already preparing to insert an endotracheal tube into the man’s airway.
    ‘Fine. Keith and I will check out the rest of his injuries.’ Looking up briefly, Sarah turned to Elspeth, one of the older nurses who had worked in the department for years. ‘Call Theatre and let them know we might need them. Lizzie, can you—?’
    But Lizzie had already anticipated her request and was moving towards the telephone. ‘Call X-Ray and arrange a head CT scan, chest and abdo x-rays, and page Orthopaedics—already on it!’
    Dr Thompson placed the leads from the cardiac monitor onto Tom’s chest. As the Dinamap—the machine that measured blood pressure, oxygen saturation and pulse rate—alarmed, he called out, ‘BP dropping—80 over 40, pulse 130.’
    ‘OK.’ Sarah remained calm, her fingers deftly