Sitting.

Abstract

During a local COVID-19 surge in late 2021, salaried health system leaders were asked to volunteer for nonclinical hospital shifts to help alleviate staffing shortages. The author, a family physician by training now working largely in a population health administrative role, signed up to serve as a patient sitter. This story explores how taking on the vantage point of a sitter enabled the author to reflect on the premise of watching and being watched, the diverse team that keeps an emergency department running, and how human connection may even contribute to normalizing heart rate. (Note: Pseudonyms are used in place of actual names and some details withheld to protect the privacy of the individuals involved.).