Something for the Pain: Compassion and Burnout in the ER

This book is by a Durham physician and writer who practices emergency medicine. What I liked best about this book was his explanation of how important sleep is and how difficult his personal sleep deprivation became for his family and for his performance in the ER. (But mostly, just his family.) Not only does he do something important by reminding us how sleep deprivation compromises our lives, but his depiction of his relationship with sleep almost seems like a monk's relationship with prayer or meditation. Outside of his work, sleep comes first. The single-minded pursuit of sleep leads to a spiritual awareness about the important of living in the present.

Well written description of the realities of working as an emergency physician. The pleasure of figuring out a difficult diagnosis and the despair of having your entire life screwed up by your schedule. The title of “Compassion and Burnout in the ER” is very apt, as it explores both very well.