The Emergency Diaries

Harrowing and hopeful tales from doctors inside the emergency room at Staten Island University Hospital—one of the flagship hospitals of Northwell Health, New York’s largest health care provider

Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year—through winter storms, hurricanes, and global pandemics—emergency rooms are vital to the safety of any community. Day in and day out, thousands of patients pass through their doors to address their immediate medical needs. From life-threatening illnesses to minor ailments, ER doctors and nurses are the first line of defense when something goes wrong with our bodies.

Written as a series of essays and stories by real ER doctors, The Emergency Diaries gives readers a glimpse into the hearts and minds of medicine’s finest, and the seemingly insurmountable challenges these everyday heroes face. Doctors recount firsthand the challenging nature of their profession and share pivotal moments in their medical careers that have stuck with them to this day.

Whether it’s delivering the bad news or making split-second decisions to save lives, the extremes of this profession can be overwhelming. ER doctors and nurses are under incredible pressure to act with grace, precision, and mental fortitude when caring for their patients. Larger national events—like the opioid epidemic, natural disasters, and the coronavirus pandemic—have only exacerbated this stress in recent years.

This poignant-yet-hopeful book tells their stories and serves as a testament to their incredible resilience and sacrifice for the greater good.

Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) is a 668-bed, two-campus hospital and part of Northwell Health, the largest health care provider in New York State. It has been serving the community since 1861. Together, the two Emergency Departments treat over 125,000 patients annually, offering dedicated trauma and critical care to both adults and children. It received the Emergency Nurses Association's 2022 Lantern Award for demonstrating exceptional and innovative performance in leadership, practice, education, advocacy, and research. SIUH's ER doctors have cared for the borough during such catastrophic emergencies as the September 11th Terrorist Attacks, Superstorm Sandy, and the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

"The Emergency Diaries is an opportunity to walk in the footsteps of a physician with a rare window into the balance of stress, self-doubt, and compassion. Whoever you are, read this book. It will make you a better physician . . .  and a better patient!" —Michael Weinstock MD, Emergency Medicine attending physician, Adena Health System, and author of the Bouncebacks! series of books