Sway nodded, but he felt the doc was beating around the bush.
“Now this is top secret information, but I feel like I can trust you.” Dr. Dominick leaned even closer, putting his chest against Sways shoulder while he whispered. There was no one in sight to overhear. “Our department has been selected to participate in a clinical trial.”
Sway jerked back. A clinical trial was huge! Its innovative medicine and conclusions would be documented in medical journals all over the world. “Wow. Right here at our hospital.”
Dr. Dominick seemed pleased to have gotten the response he’d wanted. “Yes. A joint venture with the University of California and Vanderbilt. A study on the first blood-pressure functioning artificial kidney for acute intrinsic kidney failure.”
Sway wanted to slam his hands over his mouth, but he knew how extra that would look. The trial sounded amazing. Some ground-breaking, futuristic medicine being done right where he worked. He was just so proud of Dr. Chauncey. He’d really done some amazing things in his department, including the national recognition they’d received for him performing the first anonymous, live-donor, kidney donation at Emory. And now this.
“The organ is being engineered by scientists at Vanderbilt, funded by The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Quantum Program. Our participation in the trial is candidate selection. Meaning lots of files and screening patients. They’ll undergo a series of tests to be considered for the trial that will be administered by my team. It’s an integral part of the trial. The wrong candidates selected could destroy any credible data.”
“Of course.” Sway hadn’t eaten one bite of his sandwich he was so enthralled.
“I was hoping you’d say that.” Dr. Dominick smiled his winning smile. “One of the many criteria to qualify will be having an acute kidney injury and one full-functioning kidney.”
“Patients that have most likely experienced a trauma or accident to cause AI kidney failure.”
Dr. Dominick touched Sway’s shoulder. “Exactly. These are patients that need compassion, empathy.”
“Absolutely,” Sway agreed readily.
“That’s why Cason and I want you to manage the nursing staff. Including one charge nurse—that’d be you—we’ve selected twelve registered nurses and five LPNs to assist. All of them have ten plus years in their field.” Dr. Dominick kept talking while Sway sat there stunned stupid. “Dr. Chauncey and I are the lead physicians. There will be four other nephrologists, two of them coming from other hospitals, and a urologist who will also need competent nurses to aid her.”
Sway stuttered. “I-I don’t know what to… I don’t have ten years, either.”
“You do, including your master’s. I know it seems overwhelming. But the way I see it, we just need you to do what you always do. Perform your duties with competence and above standards. Take care of the patients. Make them comfortable, put them at ease. This trial is heavily centered around blood pressure, there’ll be so many factors to consider, but we don’t want the staff to be one of those factors. We need good nurses. And from what I hear, you’re the best.”
Sway knew the tips of his ears were crimson and so was his neck. He could receive a compliment just fine, but this was by far not just a compliment. Dr. Dominick was giving Sway a chance to not only change his career but advance it to astronomical levels. A nurse’s job and participation in a clinical trial was just as important as the doctors’.
Dr. Dominick must’ve taken Sway’s silence as him considering the proposal and drove in the final nail. “It’d mean a significant pay increase. More regulated hours. More individualized patient care. All the things that I hear are big deals to you nurses.”
Sway narrowed his eyes, but Dr. Dominick winked to show his humor. Sway’s stomach clenched. He cleared his throat. “How soon will the trial be starting?”
Dr. Dominick sat up a little straighter and crumpled his trash, tucking it back into his insulated lunch tote. “Again, the trial is still a secret until everyone arrives later this week, then the hospital will be doing a press conference in the Smith Garden on Tuesday.” Dr. Dominick’s hip buzzed nosily. He read his pager and stood abruptly, moving towards the door. “I have to get back upstairs, Sway. Our first meeting with the department heads of our new team will be next week. I hope to see my charge nurse there.”
With that final statement he was gone.
Brian jerked awake. He startled so hard he flailed at the sheets that’d gotten tangled between his legs. He fought them as if they were the hands that were dragging him along the mud-caked ground as pebbles and stones ate into his skin. He could feel the stinging, but he didn’t make a sound.
“Today… you will speak.” The man said in a heavy Iranian accent repeatedly in Brian’s ear while he hung suspended naked from a hogs-hook. “Your screams will frighten the crows from their nest.”