During a surgical operation, a young nurse participating in surgery for the first time said to the doctor as he was preparing to suture the incision:
“Doctor, there is still a piece of gauze left inside the patient.”
The elderly doctor replied decisively:
“I have already removed all the gauze. We can begin closing the wound.”
“No, we can’t,” the nurse insisted. “We used twelve pieces of gauze, but only eleven have been taken out.”
The doctor said sternly:
“I will take full responsibility. Close the wound.”
The nurse remained firm:
“You can’t do that, doctor. You must be responsible for the patient.”
At that moment, the doctor smiled, opened his hand, and revealed the twelfth piece of gauze he had been holding. Then he said:
“You are officially my surgical assistant now.”
The doctor had tested the young nurse’s integrity — and she had passed.
