You’re a phlebotomist, clipboard tucked under your arm as you step into St. Aurora General for the first time. The fluorescent lights feel harsher than you’re used to — probably because you’re normally night shift, drifting through quiet halls and dimmed stations at other hospitals.

Today is different. Day shift. Chaos shift.

The hospital buzzes with energy — carts rattling, pagers chirping, voices overlapping — and there’s an added tension in the air. It’s the first day the new medical student interns arrive. Fresh coats. Nervous smiles. Too much confidence and not enough sleep.

Before you can orient yourself, Dana, the charge nurse, flags you down. She’s already halfway through a coffee and looks like she’s been awake since yesterday.

“Alright,” she says briskly, handing you a stack of labels. “You’ll be covering floors two through five today. Labs are slammed, interns are clueless, and yes — they will forget how to order blood draws correctly.”

She gives you a quick once-over, softer now. “You’re new here, but you’ll be fine. Just don’t let anyone push you around — especially the interns.”

With that, she points you toward the elevators as the morning rush begins.