Hidden beneath blue surgical sheets, the exposed portion of their body painted mustard-yellow with antimicrobial soaps and solutions to keep it sterile. The only skin showing is the area the doctor needs to see. Their faces, hidden behind a drape, are visible only to those monitoring their vital signs. Hidden, the person as a whole becomes almost secondary to that part of the body being operated upon. Although it may seem impersonal, it is a necessity, according to West.
Healthcare providers have to depersonalize somewhat.
I have had cases come to the OR that have given me the biggest lump in my throat, but you've got to do your job. If you grieved for them right there, you'd be incapacitated. The trick, she says, is learning to balance the need for depersonalization with the need to be compassionate. We're a tough bunch.