On Duty 24/7

Healing often has its limits, after which doctors can only work to relieve pain. But what happens when the physical and mental suffering becomes unbearable?

They work long hours, at a tireless pace,and often under less than ideal conditions. At the first signs of stress and fatigue, doctors need to be even more focused and alert.

Resuscitating a deceased patient is the ultimate rescue. In the hospital, however, saving lives can take on many forms. It is also curing a mother's cancer so she can raise her child, or amputating a patient's leg to prevent death.

In the medical field, doubt goes hand in hand with humility. Nothing is ever black or white and practitioners have to navigate the gray area in between.

Even though there is no time off for diseases, hospitals still operate at a slower pace during the summer. The on-duty staff work extra hard to compensate for the missing personnel.

Reassuring patients is a major part of the workload for doctors and nurses. Even when the news isn't good, they make it their duty to be truthful, while remaining helpful and positive.

Fridays at the hospital bring their own share of challenges. Many surgeries can no longer be postponed to the next day and everyone rushes to sort out their files.

At what cost should we keep a person alive? At what point do the negative effects of a treatment outweigh the prospect of recovery or survival? What constitutes a satisfactory quality of life?