Critical Care Read Online Free PDF

possible that
Sarah Burke and Logan Caldwell were simply two tough cookies.
Who was Claire to argue with that?

    "May I at least offer you a pamphlet?" she asked. "Maybe some
tips for taking care of yourself: exercising, eating right, avoiding
alcohol?"
    "No thanks." Sarah gave Claire a thumbs-up. "I'm good."
    "But. . ." Claire waved the trifolded paper at the nurse's retreating back and watched until the angel scrubs disappeared down the
hallway.
    It was her farewell salute to Sierra Mercy ER. Back to the plan
for her future.
    Half an hour later, Claire finished her notes and gathered her notebook and papers, realizing as she tucked them into her briefcase
that she was totally exhausted. Bone-deep, like she'd just finished
one of her long runs through the oak-studded foothills. Nerves, she
supposed, from being in an ER after dreading it for so long. Still,
she hadn't done so badly, had she? It was after four o'clock, and all
that was left was to leave a reassuring voice mail for the hospital
chaplain. She could do that from the education department.
    An earlier conversation with Merlene made Claire fairly certain
she'd scored points by going the extra distance in ER. Not that she
was going to make it a habit. But the director of nursing's opinion
might help in Claire's bid for the full-time clinical educator position. In truth, it could all dovetail nicely with her plans.
    Claire turned toward the sound of footsteps, which was followed by the rich, enticing aroma of coffee.
    Erin Quinn stood in the doorway. "Figured you could use this," the charge nurse said, stepping in to hand her a plastic-topped
cardboard cup. "Raspberry mocha."

    "Wow, wonderful. Thanks." Claire noticed that Erin's ponytail
was gone, allowing the nurse's copper hair to spill casually across
her shoulders. She'd pulled a zip-front white hoodie sweatshirt
over her scrubs and carried a red stenciled canvas tote over her
shoulder. End of the day for Erin too.
    Claire spotted the familiar green label on the coffee and
grinned. "Starbucks? Where'd you find something like that in a
joint like this?"
    "Gift from an ambitious pharmaceutical sales rep," Erin
explained, then shook her head. "A real sales rep. Look, I'm sorry
Logan called you a rep and made fun of your pamphlets."
    "Not a problem," Claire fibbed with a wave of her hand. The
last thing she wanted now was a discussion about Logan Caldwell.
She'd survived her first brush with Dr. McSnarly relatively unscathed
and was finally just minutes from her last walk through this department. "It all worked out," she reassured Erin with a genuine smile.
Then she tipped her head sideways, studying the artsy stencil on
Erin's tote bag. It was sort of like a genie lamp-no, more like the
old Florence Nightingale nurse's lamp but with the symbol of a
cross in the handle. "What is that?" she asked, pointing to the
white design.
    "Huh? Oh, this." Erin slid the strap off her shoulder and turned
the bag so Claire could see. "I designed it myself. Sketched my grandmother's graduation lamp. I've even put it on some T-shirts."
    Claire looked closer. A Florence Nightingale lamp overlaid with
a cross.
    Erin pointed to the design. "It says, 'Faith QD.' You know, medical shorthand for 'every day,' the way medicines and treatments are
ordered. Kind of a play on words."

    "Pretty ingenious," Claire said, impressed. "But what's it for?"
    "It's a new idea I'm trying out," Erin answered, her green eyes
lighting up. "A nondenominational Christian fellowship group for
nurses, aides, techs, doctors, anyone really. Nothing that could be
viewed as pushy or preachy. But something to sort of jump-start
our days. Anyway, we've been meeting in the chapel fifteen minutes before our shifts start. Logan calls it my God huddle, but-"
She glanced at her watch. "Oops."
    "Gotta go?"
    "Brad's picking me up. New guy, and he doesn't get it that a
charge nurse's shifts don't run like clockwork. I'm breaking him in