The post-apocalyptic world was like a huge purgatory, every inch of the air was filled with the scent of death and despair. In the temporary shelter of the abandoned factory, Clare knew the importance of medical care for the survivors, just like a weak but vital candlelight in the darkness. Thus, the heavy responsibility of setting up a medical point fell on her shoulders, and she did not hesitate to devote herself to this arduous task.
Clare stood in a relatively empty area of the factory, flanked by Eric, Lucas, and several other survivors who had volunteered to help. She scanned her surroundings with a determined gaze, her mind already planning the layout of the medical point. The area had some scrap machinery and clutter, but the space was fairly open and had potential for remodeling.
"Let's clean this place up and move all that useless stuff aside." Clare said, taking the lead and walking towards a pile of discarded metal parts. Her slender arms lifted a heavy iron plate with force, and beads of sweat immediately oozed from her forehead. Seeing this, Eric rushed forward to help, and the two of them worked together to move the iron plate to the corner.
Lucas and the other survivors also took action, and with everyone working together, they soon cleared a tidier space. In the process of cleaning up, someone accidentally cut their arm on a sharp edge, and blood oozed out.
"Come and treat the wound first." Clare said hurriedly as she led the injured person to a place where medical supplies were temporarily placed. She took out an antiseptic solution and gently cleaned the wound for the injured, her eyes focused and gentle. "The wound is a bit deep, it might hurt a bit, so bear with it." Clare said as she picked up a piece of gauze with tweezers, dipped it in the potion, and carefully wiped the inside of the wound. The injured man gritted his teeth and nodded. After treating the wound, Clare wrapped it with a bandage, "Be careful to keep it clean for the next few days, don't get infected."
After cleaning up the grounds, Clare began to think about the basic amenities of a medical point. "We'll need hospital beds, and if we don't have any, at least some place where the wounded can lie down." She said to Eric.
Eric looked around, "We can make our own sickbeds from some of the materials we have in the factory. Like those metal frames, we can remodel them."
So they started looking for a suitable metal frame. In a corner, they found some used machine brackets, which were a bit bent but could be used after straightening. Clare and Eric grabbed their tools and began working on the brackets. They tapped away with hammers, adjusting the brackets to the right length and shape, and then joined them together with metal tubing they found elsewhere.
Lucas, meanwhile, led the others through the factory in search of materials that could be used as mattresses. They found some worn out sponges and fabric in a warehouse. Lucas pieced the sponges together to make them as flat as possible, then wrapped them in fabric to make simple mattresses. As rudimentary as these mattresses looked, they were a rare luxury in a post-apocalyptic setting.
"Try putting the mattress on the bed frame." Lucas shouted to Eric who was assembling the bed frame.
Eric and Clare placed the finished mattress on the bed frame and a simple hospital bed was complete. "Not bad, it's not very comfortable, but at least it allows the wounded to rest."Clare nodded with satisfaction.
They followed this method and made several sickbeds and arranged them neatly on the side of the medical point. Next, Clare began to organize the medical supplies. They had found some medicines in the factory's infirmary earlier, but there were a limited number of them, and most of them were damaged to varying degrees.
Clare carefully sorted and arranged the medicines, those antibiotics, painkillers, and antiseptic solutions that still worked were placed on a homemade wooden shelf, each labeled with its name and purpose. "These medicines are our treasures, they must be stored properly, and a strict record must be kept when they are used." Clare said to the survivor in charge of managing the medicines.
Besides medicines, medical equipment was also an important part of the medical point. They found some broken medical equipment in the factory, such as stethoscopes and blood pressure meters. Clare picked up one of the stethoscopes and scrutinized it, noticing that the earplugs were somewhat damaged. She remade the earplugs out of some soft material and then adjusted the stethoscope to make sure it worked properly.
"The cuff on this blood pressure monitor is leaking a bit, we'll have to fix that." Eric said as he held up the blood pressure device. He got some sealant and fabric and patched the cuff. After some hard work, the blood pressure device was working fine.
During the process of setting up the medical point, they also ran into electrical problems. Some of the medical equipment needed electricity to operate, and the power supply from the factory was not stable. Eric remembered that they were fixing the generator earlier.
"We have to speed up the restoration of the generator so that we can ensure that the medical point's equipment works properly." Eric said to Clare.
"Okay, go check out the situation over at the generator and say if you need any help." Clare responded.
Eric led a few people towards the generator room. In the generator room, they found that the restoration had run into some difficulties. An important part of the generator was damaged and they had searched the factory for a long time without finding a suitable replacement.
"We'll have to find the part somehow, or see if we can make a similar replacement." Eric said with a frown.
Meanwhile, Clare continued to be busy at the medical point. She realized that the medical point still needed a quarantine area to house the injured who might be infected with the virus or have contagious diseases.
"Let's build an isolation area over there with plastic sheeting and some metal frames." Clare said, pointing to a corner of the medical point.
Using large pieces of plastic sheeting found from the factory, they wrapped the metal frames to create a relatively enclosed space. Inside the quarantine area, Clare placed some individual hospital beds and simple sterilization equipment.
"This quarantine area must be kept clean, and all personnel entering and exiting must be protected and sterilized." Clare emphasized to the survivor in charge of the quarantine area.
In order to make it easier for the medical staff to move around the medical site, Clare also designed some simple passageways and work areas. She used white paint to draw different areas on the ground, such as a diagnostic area, a treatment area, and a medicine storage area. In the diagnostic area, some tables, chairs and examination equipment were placed; in the treatment area, there were more medical supplies and tools.
"This way we're more organized and not overwhelmed when we're working." Clare said to Lucas.
At the entrance to the medical point, Clare set up a registry. "Everyone who comes to the medical point should register here, including their symptoms, injuries, and exposure history." Clare said to the survivor in charge of registration. On the table at the registration desk was a jemmy thick note jemmy and a pen, an important tool for them to record information.
As the setup of the medical point was getting better, Clare began to think about staff training again. "We need more people to know little medical knowledge and first aid skills so that they can respond better in case of an emergency." Clare said to Eric.
So Clare began organizing medical training sessions. She gathered the survivors in a clearing at the medical point and began to explain some common wound treatments and first aid techniques.
"If someone is injured and bleeding, the first thing to do is to apply pressure to the wound with a clean gauze or cloth; stopping the bleeding is key." Clare said as she demonstrated the proper way to apply pressure. "Then, if the wound is large or deep, take it to a medical point for further treatment as soon as possible."
She also explained the steps of CPR, having the group practice on a dummy model. Lucas assisted by guiding the group through the motions.
"The pressure should be in the right place, with the right amount of force, and the frequency should be kept steady." Lucas said.
During the training, some survivors learned quickly while others struggled. Clare patiently went over and over the instructions and demonstrations to make sure everyone mastered some of the basic skills.
"Everyone needs to learn carefully, these skills may save your life or someone else's at a critical moment." Clare encouraged the group.
While the medical point was being set up, the defense reinforcement team led by Ryan was working intensely. They set up more traps and fortifications around the factory to deal with possible dangers.
The day passed in a hectic manner, and the erection of the medical point had begun to bear fruit. Beds were neatly lined up, medical supplies were organized, isolation areas, work areas, and registries had been set up, and the survivors had received some level of medical training.
As night fell, Clare sat wearily in one of the chairs at the medical point, looking at the fruits of his day's labor with a sense of relief. Although this medical point was still rudimentary, it was everyone's hope for survival. She knew that in this post-apocalyptic world, every small progress was hard-won, and she would continue to work hard to guard the lives of every survivor.
However, what they don't know is that beyond the factory, there seems to be a pair of eyes peering at their every move in the darkness, and new dangers are creeping in. The abandoned factory, too, will be put to the test once again. Will they be able to withstand the coming crisis and continue to search for the hope of rebirth in the dawn of doom?
In the days to come, Clare and Ryan and the other survivors will continue to face various challenges, and the medical point will be perfected and developed through continuous practice, becoming an indispensable part of their journey through the apocalypse. Their story continues, every decision, every action will affect their destiny, and that glimmer of hope will never be extinguished in this cruel apocalyptic world.