Top Priority

The patient was gushing blood from multiple wounds when he was brought in. I ordered immediate transfusions. Wouldn't you know it? Nurse Know-it-all was on duty.

Know-it-all isn't her real name, of course. It merely describes her character, and I use it in lieu of the genuine article in order to protect the guilty. "Doctor ..." she started, but I cut her off.

"Transfusions!" I repeated, getting to the heart of the matter, as well as of the patient.

"But there's something else ..." she said.

"Nothing as important as this!" I chided severely. "Blood transfusion is the number one priority!"

Then, of course, I would have to get the lead out, both literally and figuratively.

"But the other matter," said Nurse Know-it-all insistently. "I'm afraid it must be dealt with first."

"Nonsense!" I admonished her. "Who's the doctor here, anyway?"

"But the guy with the gun," she carped. "The one who keeps pumping bullets into the patient. If someone doesn't stop him, no amount of blood transfusion is going to do any good. And he might shoot somebody else."

"You need to leave the medical decisions to the medical professionals," I snapped. Really put her in her place. You've got to keep your priorities straight.

Not sure why the place is going all fuzzy.