Read Online Come Back To Me by Julia Barrett - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Julia Barrett
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some sense into her. Dr. Kent claims this is a technique he’s used before with teenagers to produce dramatic changes in behavior, to induce compliance. He claims it’s as effective as electroshock therapy.”
From what James gathered, Debbie knew the family. She said, “The patient’s father is a judge, her mother a snooty pain-in-the-ass. The girl is a straight A student, she’s never been in any serious trouble, but it’s pretty common knowledge that several years ago she was sexually abused by her father’s former law partner. He preyed on young girls.”
James didn’t think stripping a patient naked and tying her to a bed for twenty-four hours made for effective therapy, especially after hearing of her history. It was barbaric. The young woman didn’t even stir when they’d undressed her, turned her over to check her back, and changed her into a hospital gown. The bruises covering the patient’s body sickened him.
Doctors took an oath to do no harm. In this case, James believed a great deal of harm had been done. He knew that despite the fact he was only a second year medical student, he had no choice. He had to report this abuse. He suggested to the charge nurse that she call the girl’s parents and let them see the results of Dr. Kent’s plan of treatment.
As James followed the two nurses down the hallway, Dr. Bowman entered the unit. James was familiar with him. The emergency room staff called on him when they needed an initial psychiatric intervention or evaluation. The man was pleasant enough. Dr. Bowman hurried past them, disappearing into the girl’s room. The nurses hastened to join him. When he reappeared, his round, usually jovial face was beet red. He seemed quite flustered. Grabbing the girl’s chart, he disappeared into Dr. Kent’s office.
James returned to the emergency room and explained the situation to his supervisor, informing him he planned to make a formal complaint against Dr. Kent. His supervisor pointed out the obvious, that it was risky for a second year medical student to open his mouth about anything, especially since James wasn’t even on a psychiatric rotation.
Then he said, “Dr. Kent’s a major asshole. Go for it.”
After his shift, James headed to the stairwell, planning to go to the medical library, hoping for a quiet place to write down his observations and review his notes. He heard male voices a floor up. At first he ignored them, but then he’d heard one of the men speak the patient’s name. Despite any discomfort James felt about eavesdropping, he listened. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that he was listening to the two orderlies who had dragged Cara to the locked ward.
His fury growing by the minute, he listened to them rib each other about getting the biggest hard-on of their lives when they’d stripped her and tied her to the bed. One of them mentioned that he’d tried and failed to lift the keys to the girl’s room so he could use that hard-on. That was as much as James could stand. Tempted to beat both men senseless, he stormed to the office of the hospital administrator and demanded to speak with him.
Now here he was, a day later, waiting to see if the girl’s father had any additional questions for him. Apparently Dr. Bowman wasn’t quite as passive as James thought. After James left the psych ward, Dr. Bowman had called Judge Franklin and insisted he come to the hospital. Judge Franklin may have wanted some sense knocked into his daughter, but he didn’t want her manhandled and mistreated until she was black and blue. He never expected she’d be tied to a bed, helpless and humiliated. How could he know she’d be vulnerable to an attack from those two cretin orderlies, and dehydrated almost to the point of shock?
James was glad to learn the judge had raised holy hell.
This morning when James checked in with Debbie, she was within seconds of starting an IV. If the girl hadn’t come around when she did, he would have started it
From what James gathered, Debbie knew the family. She said, “The patient’s father is a judge, her mother a snooty pain-in-the-ass. The girl is a straight A student, she’s never been in any serious trouble, but it’s pretty common knowledge that several years ago she was sexually abused by her father’s former law partner. He preyed on young girls.”
James didn’t think stripping a patient naked and tying her to a bed for twenty-four hours made for effective therapy, especially after hearing of her history. It was barbaric. The young woman didn’t even stir when they’d undressed her, turned her over to check her back, and changed her into a hospital gown. The bruises covering the patient’s body sickened him.
Doctors took an oath to do no harm. In this case, James believed a great deal of harm had been done. He knew that despite the fact he was only a second year medical student, he had no choice. He had to report this abuse. He suggested to the charge nurse that she call the girl’s parents and let them see the results of Dr. Kent’s plan of treatment.
As James followed the two nurses down the hallway, Dr. Bowman entered the unit. James was familiar with him. The emergency room staff called on him when they needed an initial psychiatric intervention or evaluation. The man was pleasant enough. Dr. Bowman hurried past them, disappearing into the girl’s room. The nurses hastened to join him. When he reappeared, his round, usually jovial face was beet red. He seemed quite flustered. Grabbing the girl’s chart, he disappeared into Dr. Kent’s office.
James returned to the emergency room and explained the situation to his supervisor, informing him he planned to make a formal complaint against Dr. Kent. His supervisor pointed out the obvious, that it was risky for a second year medical student to open his mouth about anything, especially since James wasn’t even on a psychiatric rotation.
Then he said, “Dr. Kent’s a major asshole. Go for it.”
After his shift, James headed to the stairwell, planning to go to the medical library, hoping for a quiet place to write down his observations and review his notes. He heard male voices a floor up. At first he ignored them, but then he’d heard one of the men speak the patient’s name. Despite any discomfort James felt about eavesdropping, he listened. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that he was listening to the two orderlies who had dragged Cara to the locked ward.
His fury growing by the minute, he listened to them rib each other about getting the biggest hard-on of their lives when they’d stripped her and tied her to the bed. One of them mentioned that he’d tried and failed to lift the keys to the girl’s room so he could use that hard-on. That was as much as James could stand. Tempted to beat both men senseless, he stormed to the office of the hospital administrator and demanded to speak with him.
Now here he was, a day later, waiting to see if the girl’s father had any additional questions for him. Apparently Dr. Bowman wasn’t quite as passive as James thought. After James left the psych ward, Dr. Bowman had called Judge Franklin and insisted he come to the hospital. Judge Franklin may have wanted some sense knocked into his daughter, but he didn’t want her manhandled and mistreated until she was black and blue. He never expected she’d be tied to a bed, helpless and humiliated. How could he know she’d be vulnerable to an attack from those two cretin orderlies, and dehydrated almost to the point of shock?
James was glad to learn the judge had raised holy hell.
This morning when James checked in with Debbie, she was within seconds of starting an IV. If the girl hadn’t come around when she did, he would have started it
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