On Call

Chris Martell

A hand shakes you awake, and a nervous voice calls to you. “Doctor, can you hear me? Doctor?” You open your eyes and see a familiar face - Jim, the charge nurse. You blink and get your bearings - you were sleeping in the hospital on-call room, because you knew that with the number of full beds tonight, it wasn’t worth going home to try to catch some sleep.
Jim’s voice softens. “Sorry to wake you. Take a minute. When you’re ready, we could use your help. I’ll be outside.” He steps outside and closes the door behind him, leaving you in the dim light of a desk lamp. You glance at your watch: 3am.
Go Back To Sleep
Step Out into the Hall