Chapter 3 — On my first day as Director, I was kicked out of the cafeteria by the resident doctor

Chapter 5 The news spread faster than I expected. At two o'clock in the afternoon, I sat in the Director's office on the fifth floor of the administrative building. Tea had not yet been brewed when Han Man knocked on the door and entered.

“Director Co, the appointment notice has been published on the hospital's internal system.”

She stopped for a moment.

“In the Department of Trauma and Orthopedics… the news has already spread.”

“How does it spread?”

Han Man's expression was a bit awkward.

"There are many conflicting opinions. One stream says that the new Director and the Head of the Department of Bones and Joints are husband and wife; another stream says that To Nha Lam scolded the New Director right in the middle of the cafeteria."

“And the third thread, says Director Phuong and Doctor To…”

She didn't finish speaking, just glanced at me.

“Says the relationship is not normal.”

I leaned back in the chair.

“What else?”

“Vice Director Tham of the Department of Bones and Joints just called me and asked if he could arrange for him to represent the department to apologize to you.”

"No need."

Han Man nodded and was about to leave when he turned back.

"Director Co, there's one more thing. To Nha Lam asked for sick leave this afternoon."

“Who approves?”

“Director Phuong approved.”

I slowly turned the cup in my hand.

"From today, all sick leave and leave applications of resident doctors must be signed by both the Dean and the Institute Office to be effective."

Han Man was stunned for a moment, but reacted very quickly.

“I will prepare an announcement immediately.”

She walked to the door and stopped.

"Director Co, at three thirty there is a meeting of middle-level cadres in the entire institute. The Party Committee Secretary told me to ask you, do you want to meet with a few deans first?"

"No need." I said, "Meeting at three-thirty, meeting in person."

After the door closed, I took out my phone from my pocket. Phuong Tri Vien sent me six text messages. First news: "Thanh Ninh, you can explain what happened at noon." Second news: "To Nha Lam is just a student interning in my department, don't think too much." Third news: "That necklace she bought herself, it's not the same as mine." Fourth news: "First calm down your anger, I will talk to you directly when I get home tonight." Fifth news: "Don't mention this in the meeting, it will have a bad influence." Friday news: “Thanh Ninh?” I finished reading six messages and didn't reply to a single one. At twenty-five minutes past three, I stood up, grabbed my folder, and went downstairs to the meeting room. Everyone in the hallway passing by looked at me, some said hello, some bowed and walked away quickly, some pretended to be on the phone. When I entered the meeting room, there were more than twenty people inside. All mid-level staff, including Head and Deputy Head of each department. Phuong Tri Vien sat in the second row next to the window. When I walked in, he was looking at his phone. When he heard a noise, he raised his head and met my eyes. In his eyes there was tension, guilt, and even a bit of exploration. I didn't bother to glance at him. Step up to the podium, sit down, open the document clip.

"Hello everyone, I am Co Thanh Ninh, officially taking office today."

"Brief introduction about myself. I worked for 6 years at the Health Management Department of the Provincial Health Committee, before that I worked for 4 years at the Provincial People's Hospital."

"Polite words are spared, I'll say three things."

The meeting room was so quiet that you could clearly hear the hum of the air conditioning vents.

“First, from today Currently, all public areas in the hospital, including cafeterias, rest rooms, and living rooms, cancel all forms of 'private seats', 'tables', and 'fixed seats'. If anyone reports, I will say there is still a space occupied, and the person concerned will have that month's bonus deducted."

Someone in the second row took a breath of cold air. Phuong Tri Vien's hand holding the pen paused on the notebook.

“Second, regarding the adjustment of the leave approval process, a specific notice has been issued today, asking the Deans to consider carefully.”

“The third thing.”

I raised my head, my eyes gliding from left to right.

"I heard that this hospital has a hidden rule, some young doctors rely on their relationship with a certain superior to be able to move around in the department."

“I don't take attendance.”

"But I'll leave my words here, as long as I'm in office, things like this won't happen again."

The meeting room was silent without a sound. Phuong Tri Vien lowered his head. Chapter 6 After the meeting ended, the Deputy Director of Osteopathic Medicine chased after me.

“Director Co, please excuse me for two minutes.”

Deputy Director Tham's name is Tham Ba Quan, in his fifties, has worked in the Department of Bones and Joints for more than twenty years, and has more seniority than Phuong Tri Vien.

“Director Tham, if you have anything, just say it directly.”

He rubbed his hands.

"What happened at noon in the cafeteria was due to our department's lack of strict management. As Deputy Dean, I am also responsible."

“Is To Nha Lam usually like that?”

Tham Ba Quan was silent for two seconds.

“To be honest with you, it's almost the same.”

“How long has it been?”

“She has been in our department for a year and a half. The first few months were normal, then it started…”

He considered his words for a moment.

“Beginning to be special.”

“Who gave her that confidence?”

This question made Tham Ba Quan very awkward. He glanced at the end of the hallway, Phuong Tri Vien was standing waiting for the elevator, his back looking stiff.

“Director Co, there are some things that are inconvenient for me to say.”

“If you don't say it, I also know.”

Tham Ba Quan sighed.

“To Nha Lam is indeed very close to Director Phuong. I don't dare say anything about the specific relationship, but everyone in the department has eyes. She always chooses easy cases on duty, consults and chooses easy cases, when writing a thesis, she puts Director Phuong's name as the contact author. If the medical record is not written correctly, no one dares to correct it."

“Has anyone reported this?”

“It happened before the previous Director retired. At that time, the Human Resources Department called Director Phuong up to talk once. Director Phuong said that it was a normal teacher-student relationship and the Human Resources Department did not pursue it anymore."

I nodded.

“Okay, I understand.”

After Tham Ba Quan left, I did not immediately return to the office. But go to the Human Resources department. The Head of Human Resources, surnamed Ngo, named Ngo Hong Mai, over forty years old, speaks very carefully.

“Director Co came at the right time, I was preparing to bring the documents to you.”

“What documents?”

"The annual assessment of mid-level staff capacity, as usual, the newly appointed Director will review it once."

She gave me a folder. I turned to the page of the Department of Orthopedics. On Phuong Tri Vien's evaluation board, it has been rated "Excellent" for three consecutive years. In the evaluation opinion column, the previous Director's comments read: "Excellent professional capacity, no The number of surgeries ranks first in the entire hospital, and the results of internship instruction are outstanding." I glanced at the notes column. Empty. No one raised any issues.

“Chief Ngo, get me a copy of To Nha Lam's personnel file.”

Ngo Hong Mai's hand stopped.

“To Nha Lam? It's the girl at home having lunch today..."

“Yes, before work I will bring it to your office.”

When I got back to the office, there was a new message on my phone. It was not sent by Phuong Tri Vien. It's my old boss at the Provincial Health Committee, Chau Khanh Nien.

“Thanh Ninh, are you there yet? Is everything okay?”

“I'm here, Uncle Chau.” I texted back, “Everything went well.”

I didn't tell him what happened in the cafeteria. There are some things that I have to solve myself. Chapter 7 At six thirty in the afternoon, I didn't go home. Sitting in the office, reading To Nha Lam's personnel file brought by Ngo Hong Mai. The file is very thin, but the information is enough for me to clearly see the bottom of everything. To Nha Lam, 27 years old, graduated with a bachelor's degree in general medicine from a normal second-class university. During her internship, she worked at the Department of Bones and Joints at Hai Thanh No. 1 People's Hospital through the "Talent Attraction" program. Attract talent. With her educational background, following the path of attracting talent was inherently unusual. The person who signed and approved the talent attraction report was the Deputy Head of the Department of Bones and Joints at that time: Phuong Tri Vien. After entering the job, every rotation evaluation, every thesis with a name, every list of nominations to participate in an academic conference, the person who signs and approves it all has the same name. Phuong Tri Vien. I closed the file, leaned against the back of the chair, and stared blankly at the ceiling for three minutes. The phone rang. Phuong Tri Vien called. I don't listen. The phone rang again. It's still him. On the third time, I picked up the phone.

“Thanh Ninh, why don't you go home?”

“On my first day in office, what do I have to do to work overtime…”

“Phuong Tri Vien.”

His voice choked.

“To Nha Lam's talent attraction profile was approved by you?”

The other end of the line was silent for a long time.

“Thanh Ninh, that was two years ago, at that time the department was really short of people…”

"Graduating from a second-class university but pursuing the talent attraction program, do you think this reason is tenable?"

“Her university degree was normal, but she performed very well during her internship, so I considered it from a professional perspective…”

“Okay.” I said, “I won't argue with you over the phone about professional matters. Tomorrow I will ask the Medical Education Department to organize a professional competency test for all doctors practicing in the hospital."

“Wait, I…”

"By then, I and the whole hospital will see how To Nha Lam's score is."

“Thanh Ninh! Can you please not bring family matters into work?

This sentence made me laugh.

“Phuong Tri Vien, who brought those two things together first?”

I hung up. Place the phone screen face down on the table. There was a knock on the door. It's Han Man.

“Director Co, there is something I think I should tell you.”

Han Man closed the door and lowered his voice.

"After finishing the meeting this afternoon, To Nha Lam called Ms. Luu - Head of Nursing Department."

“Says that the new Director is Director Phuong's wife, intentionally makes things difficult for her in the cafeteria, and even uses the excuse of a meeting to warn her. ta. She asked Ms. Luu to help her with a few words in the hospital, saying that this was a family matter, not a work matter.

“What is the attitude of the Head of Nursing?”

Han Man hesitated a bit.

“Sister Liu did not express her attitude clearly. But at dinner, she had dinner with a few Head Nurses. While eating, she said something, saying that the Director had started an internal fight on the first day and his behavior was not very good.

I nodded slowly.

“Han Man, how long have you worked at this hospital?”

“Eleven years now.”

“So tell me, how much power does To Nha Lam have in this hospital?”