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All Chapters of When The Ward Fell Apart: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

The charge nurse changed her tone and gave my back a deliberately gentle pat."Grace Walker, you know the hospital has always been short-staffed."You're a senior employee here. That means you should set an example and cooperate with the arrangement."I stared at the eight excellence certificates on my desk and said nothing.The first certificate was earned after spending six months on the pandemic front line.The second came from assisting in nearly a thousand surgeries without a single mistake.The eighth came from working the overnight shift every New Year's for eight straight years.I had already set enough examples. I had already cooperated enough.When I looked up again, my voice was very quiet."I'm going to speak to the director."The charge nurse finally stopped smiling. Her face turned cold.She said, "Suit yourself. The result will be the same anyway."I took a breath and knocked on the door of our department director, Martin Blake.Dr. Valerie Stone was actuall

Chapter 2

Early the next morning, the official notice transferring me to logistics was sent to every department.At the morning meeting, the charge nurse slammed the table so hard it shook."Some people damage the entire department's reputation for their own selfish reasons. And now you can all see the result."Don't learn bad habits from her. Don't think that being a senior employee means you get special treatment. Everyone in this hospital is equal."The young nurses did not dare breathe too loudly. They only stole curious glances at my still-flat stomach.I ignored all of it and focused on packing my things.The eight excellence certificates I had once been so proud of went into the bottom of the box.When I carried my things out, not a single person came over to help.Even though I had covered countless night shifts for them.Even though I had taught them, hand by hand, how to work in the operating room.Only the charge nurse looked up at me.She said, "Grace Walker, you'll regret

Chapter 3

I stopped and looked down at the cart.Three full boxes, all of them my own belongings.But before I could speak, the charge nurse rushed over in front of everyone."Grace Walker, open your boxes. I need to check them."I stood in front of the cart."You do not have that authority."I said it to the charge nurse, but my eyes stayed fixed on Valerie.Because she was the one who had whispered to the charge nurse, and then the charge nurse had called me back.Besides, I had packed my things right under the charge nurse's nose.Valerie stroked her stomach and met my gaze calmly.But the charge nurse had already shoved me aside and dumped everything from my boxes."You can't take this plaque. This is the department's honor, not yours personally."I pointed at the words on the plaque."The department's honor? Nurse Parker, my personal name is written on it.""Still no."The charge nurse tossed the plaque aside carelessly."And these operating manuals and training notes can't

Chapter 4

The logistics department was mainly responsible for purchasing and distributing basic office supplies, so there were not many people.Other than me, there were a few interns and older employees waiting for retirement.The person sitting beside me was named Maya. She was a senior-year intern.She was naturally friendly and efficient. She helped me move my boxes down and clicked her tongue."Grace, I heard you transferred to logistics because you wanted to have a baby?"I lowered my head and kept organizing my things. I did not answer.Who knew whether she would be like the nurses from my old department, only interested in watching me become a joke and kicking me when I was down?The silence was awkward, but Maya continued talking as if nothing had happened."Honestly, I think that rule is really unreasonable. Don't you think so?"You and Dr. Stone aren't in the same department. Your work isn't the same either. Both of you being pregnant doesn't really affect anything. I don't k

Chapter 5

The charge nurse's voice changed pitch."What do you mean, why? Grace, when I tell you to reply, you reply!"If the department's work is delayed, can you take responsibility?"My voice remained calm."Nurse Parker, you've misunderstood. I'm only a logistics employee now."What does your department's work have to do with me?"I hung up and turned on Do Not Disturb.After returning home, I slowly ate the pregnancy meal my husband had cooked, took a shower, and only then picked up my phone again.My WhatsApp messages had already become 99+, and there were countless missed calls.I opened the chats one by one. They were indeed all messages from my former coworkers."Grace, the patient's vitals are normal, but he's sweating cold. Should we put him on oxygen?""Grace, how should this line on the patient information card be filled in? The charge nurse is asking for the schedule.""Grace, the patient's hands are swollen. How did you manage to get the IV in last time?"Every messag

Chapter 6

Over the next few days, my WhatsApp never stopped.Every message was a request for help.Not only that, my former coworkers came to logistics one after another to look for me several times."Grace, you used to help us all the time. Please help us one more time, okay?""Grace, I'm begging you. I'm about to be yelled to death by the charge nurse. Save me.""Grace, it's just one question. Teach me this once, and I promise I won't bother you again."I looked at those familiar young faces and let out a long sigh."I'm sorry. I'm only in logistics now. I really can't help you."Erin, I did help you many times before. I even took the blame for you. But when I moved out, you didn't even help me lift a box."Violet, I trained you for half a year, step by step, and taught you everything I knew. But you didn't say a single word for me."Kelly, I covered three New Year's shifts for you, and you never even thanked me."Now that you need me, you come to me. Do I look that free to you?"T

Chapter 7

The first-floor lobby was already packed with people.The charge nurse stood off to the side with her head lowered. Martin Blake's face was pale.Even the hospital administrator had come out. He was trying to speak nicely to the patient's family, but it was not working.On the way over, Maya had already told me the details of what happened the night before.It was an abdominal surgery, one I had assisted with many times and never made a mistake in.But yesterday's nurse had panicked.When the doctor asked for suction, she adjusted the Smith negative pressure suction machine to the wrong setting, and the tube was not even aimed at the bleeding point.After finally correcting it, she somehow forgot the patient was allergic to penicillin and injected the medication directly.That caused severe anaphylactic shock.Two doses of epinephrine and dexamethasone were pushed before the patient finally showed improvement.The entire surgery had been chaos. Not one person on-site clearly

Chapter 8

"Grace, thanks to you just now."The administrator poured me a cup of coffee.Whether intentionally or not, the coffee he brewed was from the same bag Valerie had given him last time.I took a sip. It did have a sweet aftertaste. No wonder Martin liked it."Grace, I'll be direct," the administrator said, rubbing his hands together."When you were in the department, your department won excellence awards every year. Ever since you went to logistics, the department has had constant problems. Some minor issues were one thing, but today's incident was enormous. I have to dock two months of their wages."Still, your department can't stay this chaotic forever. Grace, why don't you transfer back?"That charge nurse of yours is useless. What if I remove her and make you the new charge nurse? You can train those young nurses."As for the pregnancy, I'll make a special approval and allow you to give birth this year. What do you think?"I said nothing, only turned the cup in my hand.The

Chapter 9

I stood up and bowed to the administrator."Then I will resign. This isn't a threat. It's my position."Riverside General next door has been trying to recruit me for a long time. Their hospital does not discriminate against women's reproductive rights, and they don't care whether I'm pregnant."Mr. Dalton, please think it over."After saying that, I turned and walked out of the office.When I closed the door, I saw that the administrator was still standing there, stiff and frozen.I knew he was thinking. Weighing.All I needed to do was wait.Two days later, the administrator held an all-staff meeting.At the meeting, he announced the hospital's new policy arrangement and abolished the rule that only one female employee could be pregnant per year.He also personally read out my personnel transfer.I returned to my original department and became the new charge nurse.That was what was said openly.What was not announced publicly was that the former charge nurse had been tra

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