Professional Sacrifice
As hurricane Sandy makes its way up the east coast, I can’t help but think of all the hospital workers who are being affected. Hospitals never close and people rely on them even more in times of struggle.
Most hospitals have crisis teams for emergencies. At my last hospital, we had to fill out a form annually about which team we wanted to be on in case of a disaster. The teams were based on the commitments we were willing to make and other important factors. We were told we would be on 12 hour work/sleep rotating shifts and would not be allowed to leave the premises. We were reminded to pack enough clothes along with any personal items or medications we might need for that time period.
Thankfully, I never had to serve during an emergency. It would be very scary to be at work and away from home during a severe storm. As healthcare professionals, we must remember that our career calls for us to make many sacrifices and this is just one of them.