The Switch

I often think about the “on and off switch” we sometimes have in medicine. We move from one patient’s room to the next, shifting between extremes. One moment, we’re delivering news of a long-awaited discharge, a sign of healing. The next moment, we’re sitting with a grieving family who are mourning the loss of a loved one. In between these moments, we are often caught up with updating progress notes and placing countless orders, never fully getting the time to process our emotions. During these moments, I wonder if there is a conscious shift in emotion (this “on and off” switch so to speak) or whether it is more of an unconscious process that is a byproduct of years of medical training. 

And yet, this switch doesn’t always work. We carry these stories and emotions with us that often linger long after we leave the hospital. We often bring these experiences, stories, feelings, and voices home with us, blurring the lines between work and other parts of our lives. However, maybe that’s not a flaw—perhaps these emotions and stories are what shapes us, how we see the world around us, and what makes us human.

Written by Anonymous