‘I don’t know how to use it.’ The manager shook his head. ‘We only got it last week and training isn’t until next week.’
Bending her head, Oti was unable to answer as she began two short rescue breaths.
‘It’s okay—I know,’ Lukas muttered. ‘Just turn the machine on and follow the instructions on the read-out whilst I complete one more cycle of compressions, then you can hand the defib to me.’
Finishing the rescue breaths, Oti sat up as Lukas began compressions again. When the Earl’s life was on the line, was it right for her to allow Lukas to take charge, just to preserve her own secret?
Watching Lukas working on the older man, Oti weighed up her options. Clearly, he knew what he was doing in terms of the pace and pressure of the chest compressions—and although it was a draining task he made it look deceptively easy—which was good to see, but using the defib could be a different story.
‘...twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty.’
As Oti bent her head for another two rescue breaths, she was aware of the manager handing the defib to Lukas, who, having already unbuttoned the Earl’s shirt, removed the sticky pads and began to place them down on the man’s bare chest. A perfect position for the one beneath the right clavicle, but the other one was slightly off. There was nothing else for it.
‘Wait.’ She reached out to stay his hand, fighting off the jolt of awareness that shot through her at the contact.
And it had nothing to do with the defibrillator.
Valiantly trying to ignore it, Oti guided his hand a few centimetres lower and set it down.
‘What do you think you’re doing?’ She was sure that it wasn’t just her imagination that his voice sounded hoarser.
‘Moving you to a more lateral position.’ She shook her head, struggling to regroup. ‘Even amongst medical professionals, the location of the apical pad can often be too medial.’ She barely recognised her own voice. ‘The result is reduced separation between the pads, causing the current to pass through non-cardiac tissue and potentially reducing the successfulness of the defibrillation.’
He eyed her intently for a brief moment and she thought he was going to say something more. Instead, he merely inclined his head.
‘You sound like you know better than I do.’
She told herself that it was good that he wasn’t so full of his own self-importance that he refused to listen to her, but she shouldn’t feel so ridiculously flattered.
Attaching the pad to the Earl’s chest, she turned her attention back to the machine as it analysed their patient’s heartbeat.
‘Stand clear.’ She glanced at Lukas, but he’d already edged back a little from the man, his hands up to indicate he was no longer in contact. ‘Shocking.’
As the machine delivered a shock, Oti waited long enough to check the read-out before setting it aside and continuing CPR.
Lukas matched her without a word, as if they were in perfect sync. As if he was someone she’d worked with for years. But she didn’t allow herself to consider it any further.
For a couple more minutes they continued CPR, with Oti giving two breaths for every thirty compressions from Lukas. After five cycles she delivered a second shock to the Earl, and more compressions, but still to no effect.
‘Any idea on the ambulance?’ she demanded, turning to the manager, who was on his walkie-talkie and looking rather ashen himself.
‘It’s coming down the lanes now...a minute or so out.’
‘Yes.’ She nodded, though her eyes didn’t leave the patient as Lukas began.
So a good few minutes before they got to the patient. Another cycle and another shock by her and Lukas, and if that wasn’t successful, at least they should be able to administer epinephrine before administering a fourth shock.
And one thought niggled at her. If the Earl should need an IV, given the shape that he was in, her recommendation would have to be an intraosseous infusion for a non-collapsible entry point, since intravenous wouldn’t be feasible. And what if the crew weren’t trained for IO? She could end up having to administer it herself. How many questions would that raise with her new husband?
‘Another set?’ Lukas said grimly, interrupting her thoughts, half a command, half a question.
Blinking, she took a moment to reassess.
‘Yes.’ Oti nodded at last. ‘Another set.’
For the next few minutes they resumed their roles, the time passing all too fast before she administered another shock. Then, abruptly, the old Earl’s heart kicked back in, just as the ambulance crew hurried into the room.
For the next few moments Oti was occupied with handing over in a timely manner, relieved that they accepted what she and Lukas had done as though there were quasi-trained guests, rather than her being a doctor.