The Emergency Department (ED)… It all happens there.

It is an amazing place to observe and study the human body and conditions. You see and experience every feeling and emotion, and you do so in an intense and highly charged environment. Gone are the trappings of proper behavior. Gone are the concerns about what others may be thinking about you. Where else would you see a 55-year-old lawyer walking down the hallway in a hospital gown, uncaring that his rear end was exposed to a bunch of strangers?!

But if you truly think about it, we are all undressed in the ED… Every single one of us.

Our strengths and weaknesses are openly, and sometimes uncomfortably, exposed. This is true for patients and physicians alike. As caregivers, whether a nurse, doctor, or anyone else that may care for patients, we quickly learn the limits of our willingness and ability to empathize, to sacrifice, and to step outside of ourselves. It is possible to remain detached, distant, and shielded from the environment we work in… But it comes with a price.

Ultimately, the ED is a place where the faith of each and every one of us will be tested. Our beliefs will be challenged and refined, or exposed and discarded as meaningless. Working in the ED, we can truly learn who we are, and on what ground we stand. And sometimes, it is a place where our faith can be found. If you don’t believe in angels, you should spend some time in the ED. You will learn that angels do exist. Some are nurses, a few are doctors, and many are everyday people that are brought into your life for a specific purpose from God. Sometimes you have to look hard for their wings, and other times, the light shines bright enough to know at the moment you meet them.

If we as caregivers remain detached, distant, and shielded from the environment that we work in, we pay the price of not fully getting to know our patients, and we may never get to know who we truly are as our own person. You never know what may roll in through the doors of the ambulance bay, or walk in through the front doors of the ED to be triaged… But you have to be ready for anything, and anyone. As caregivers, we have the capability to touch the lives of all that we come in contact with, and we also have the ability to have our own lives touched by the patients we care for… All we have to do is allow ourselves to be exposed, and be willing to step outside of our comfort zones. God has a plan for each and every one of our lives, all we have to do is be willing to take a leap of faith and trust in His plan for us.

Life is full of little, seemingly, insignificant things that, if truly appreciated, can make the sun shine through the darkness, turn tears into laughter, and change the lives of many.

All you have to do is look for them.