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Show Nocturne/ 9 One night when Carl Hunter nearly coded, Anika sat on the chair next to Sydney and declared it was about time he was finished. Sydney stifled laughter. Anika announced that Carl Hunter might die that night. Because he was her patient, she hadn't bet on him, but she knew someone had. Anika reminded everyone the shift would go more smoothly when they no longer had to rush back and forth trying to appease this man with all of his pock marks and profanity. Mary Jo Black, an older nurse who was obsessed with constantly sanitizing her hands looked at Anika, warning her to respond to the alarm. Anika said she was only kidding, and she said it loudly enough so everyone could hear. She went to Carl Hunter's room, and for a moment as she ran down the hallway she actually thought about it how much she hated him and how nice it would be if he died. But she called Dr. Dance, and they stabilized his condition. Dr. Dance asked Anika why she had not been called in earlier. Dr. Dance consulted her chart and pointed out how the patient's respiratory rate had been steadily dropping for the length of the shift. Dr. Dance reminded Anika to pay more attention. If she missed important details like this she was risking the patient's life. The doctor said she was appalled. Her tone indicated contempt. Anika responded respectfully. She apologized. Dr. Dance said it was a very close call. She told Anika she was very lucky. As she walked away from Dr. Dance, Anika rolled her eyes. When she came back to the nurses station she said they both would have been better off. Lauren shook her head without saying a word. Alexis Bahr bet on him. She was the newest nurse on the unit. She remained hopeful that her time would come soon. At first, none of the nurses really thought they actually wanted patients to die. |
