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First shift!

Posted March 2, 2021, 8:27 a.m. by Crewman Octavia Raain (Medical Student) (J Ridgley)

Posted by Lieutenant Alexis Bonner (Assistant Chief Medical Officer) in First shift!

Posted by Crewman Octavia Raain (Medical Student) in First shift!

Posted by Lieutenant Alexis Bonner (Assistant Chief Medical Officer) in First shift!
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Positively buzzing Octavia entered the secondary sickbay, she had arranged for herself to be put into the ships nurse rota even if it was just on a trial basis where she had to shadow the other doctors and nurses. She wasn’t going to be saving any lives today but it was a good start if any. She looked around for the Assistant Chief Medical officer who had agreed to have her as her shadow during a portion of her shift. When she couldn’t initially find the Lieutenant Octavia began to wonder, her short medical coat billowing behind her.

  • Crewman Octavia Raain

Alexis was with a patient and saw Octavia wandering. She spoke softly to the woman, getting her permission. She approached, Octavia, ” Hello Octavia. You are just in time, come here.” She led her over to the woman, who was lying back on a biobed, looking exhausted, but happy. “NE Festan is pregnant and today she’s going to get her first real look at the baby. We’ve been taking scans all along of course, but the baby is old enough now to resemble more humanoid features. Have you ever done an imaging scan on a fetus?”
Lt. Bonner, AMO

The young Trill could feel the excitement well up for her and of course NE Festa, shaking her head to signal her answer she finally spoke, “No I have never done one before Lieutenant” She explained, “Its something I should be starting this term.” Most of first year was understanding medicine and its origins, she was just starting her more practical and hands on lessons now.” Octavia looked between Alxis and the woman laying down her bump was notable but not at fall size yet, that much she could tell.

  • Crewman Octavia Raain, Med Student

Alexis nodded to NE Festa who pulled the privacy screen. “So 3 - 400 years ago on Earth, which would be roughly 1000 on Trill, but I’m guessing, but about then, fetal images were done with a lot of gooey gel spread on the abdomen, and then using a hand held wide wand type device they would run the wand all over.” Alexis mimiked the motion. “Sometimes having to press so hard it was painful. It didn’t damage anything but was messy and uncomfortable. The wand used ultrasound waves to bounce an image back. It was very grainy in quality and 2 dementional. Eventually 3D images were available based on a computer algorithm. Now we use a special fetal imager. The basic principle is the same. But now we get an image of the entire uterine space, and a 360° view on the x, y, and z axis. And instead of just the baby we can see the placenta, umbilical cord, and the uterine wall.” Alexis pulled a screen over so Elaine, the mother could see. “Elaine has agreed to let you try the scan first.”
Alexis handed over the scanner. “It operates just like the probe of a tricorder but hold it closer and go slowly.”
Lt Bonner, AMO

Having brought a PaDD with her she tapped away recording everything that Alexis had said until finally, it was her turn to do something she looked at the probe and then to the baby bump which was exposed. She took the scanner and held it cautiously over the bump and activated it, on the monitor, the image was distorted and she moved the device around the bump, “Like this?” The image wasn’t as distorted but it was clear Octavia needed a guiding hand to make the image as clear as it could be. Her nervousness was also now apparent though the excitement and enjoyment from doing something the first time even if it was out of her comfort zone was far greater than any fear.

  • Crewman Octavia Raain.

Alexis reached over placing her hand over Octavia’s. “Deep breath.” She smiled softly in encouragement. Elaine nodded sweetly, “I’m nervous too.” Alexis guided Octavia’s hand for a moment. “Slowly, and pick a route, side to side or even a spiral, it will let the computer process the images faster. And just a fraction slower.” She glanced at the screen, “Ah there it is. Look, Elaine” there was an image of a perfectly formed tiny hand, grasping and releasing at nothing.
Lt Bonner, AMO

Octavia did as instructed and when she felt confident she peeled her eyes and frowning face from concentrating on her hand to the screen which showed the image and 3D rendering of the baby inside the woman belly. Getting a little lost with herself the image faded and Octavia quickly looked back to her which had drifted to one side. She steadied herself and the image returned. “Can we hear?” She asked thinking before speaking.

  • Crewman Octavia Raain

Alexis picked up a small monitor. “Once you’ve made a complete scan and know where the heart is we can take this,” she holds it up, “And place it right over the heart.” Alexis placed the small device on Elaine’s small bump and soon the sound of a very rapid heart beat could be heard around sickbay. The sound making everyone in the area pause and smile. “Now,” Alexis pulled up a checklist on another monitor. “use this button to increase or decrease the magnification. You need to look for these things as you scan to make sure the baby is growing correctly,” she pointed to the list. “Remember go slow and take your time.”
Lt Bonner, AMO

The young Trill Med student nodded and committed as much as she could to her memory, with help from her symbiote she had an easy time at doing it too. “I got this” She told herself still using the scanning device with one hand and now using the machines increase and decrease button. Like before it took a few attempts to remember to keep her scanning hand stead whilst she looked away but eventually she was doing it with only some level of concentration. Once she had that bit down she looked to the checklist, “What do some of these look like exactly?” She asked, she obviously knew what they looked like but not in the way they were perhaps doing it now.

  • Crewman Octavia Raain

Alexis nodded approvingly. Octavia didn’t know and she wasn’t afraid to ask. That was important. “Alright let’s start with the heart.” Alexis pointed at the screen to where it should be. “Come back to this area and then zoo in. The heart, at the points should be fully formed and we’ll be able to see the exterior and the carotid artery and then zoom further in to examine each chamber and valves. It’s just much smaller. We’ll check all of those to make sure there are no defects or slow development.” She looked over at Elaine and smiled. Elaine was very relaxed and enjoying watching the screen and listening to the heart beat.
Lt Bonner, AMO

Of course that’s where the heart is duh. She scolded herself but none the less listened to Alexis and done as she was instructed, zooming here and there until she finally was zoomed in over the heart and into each chamber and valve it was in a way rather beautiful being able to see the life essence of something to small. Afte all it was this very organ which pumped so much of what was needed around, without it they were… well… dead. “Like this?” She said looking to see if she was doing it right, her head a little shakey form holding it out for so long.

  • Crewman Octavia Raain

Alexis grinned, “Yes like that. Okay,” she pulled a possible arm over and set it up to hold the wand. “I know some doctors leave the wand connected here to move it, but it’s not quite as flexible in the movement. Now we’re going to hold the wand here over the heart.” She made sure it was secure so Octavia could let go. “Then we press this button here on the screen, and we can watch the blood flow.” On the screen bright red and deep purple flows could be seen moving in and out of the heart on both sides. “This image is important to watch because it will show us if the blood is moving wrong. Like here,” she looked at Elaine, “Nothing is wrong, I’m just giving her an example. You’re baby is healthy. If the valve wasn’t working properly you would see some of the flow going back into the lower chamber rather than up and out towards the lungs. Or if there was a hole in the heart you would see it sneak out where it shouldn’t go.” She took the wand down and moved it over one lung and then the other and then steadied the wand again in the mechanical arm. “Now we’ll watch the flow to make sure it’s changing color and getting enough oxygen.” And the image showed the dark purple blood flowing in and then coming back out a bright red. “Now which organ would you like to look at now?”
Lt Bonner, AMO

Octavia both listened to Bonner and watched the screen with great interest when the conversation finally came back to her she was a little unsure about herself again before finally saying, “The lungs?” She asked, at least she knew where they were and they were so big she would likely not miss them, or so she hoped. She waited to be instructed before doing anything though.

  • Crewman Octavia Raain

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