"Slapping the Baby"

Every team has rituals. Ours involves a five-liter fluid bag and hitting it with an open palm. Whenever somebody needs the big bag, everyone on shift gets a slap in for good luck. Takes about five seconds. Completely unscientific. Nobody skips it.

Had a Great Dane come in recently and the owner watched the entire staff line up around this bag looking deeply concerned for a minute. Once we explained it, he immediately joined in and probably got fifteen slaps on there himself just to be safe.

I've seen a lot of hard moments in this room. Watching that owner wind up and go to town on that bag, that one means the world to me.

Truth is, I don't think anybody believes it changes outcomes. We still do it every time. Emergency medicine is heavy work. Sometimes the little rituals are less about luck and more about reminding yourself there are still human beings under all the noise.

-Sam Lewis, DVM