A Conduit

"Dr. Tom, can you come now?" As a chaplain in the emergency department, author Thomas C. Tucker would respond regardless of the hour, giving all cases the same care and attention. Every patient and family member in the emergency department would be in some state of trauma, or else they would not be there.

A Conduit: Diary of an Emergency Department Chaplain recounts Tucker's personal experiences as a hospital chaplain. He divides his recollections into landmark cases, which defined his service; teamwork cases, which showed his integration with the hospital staff; final services cases, for families at the end of life for a dear one; ecumenical cases, serving those in need without discrimination; and care and comfort cases, combining compassion with spiritual care. The stories he shares demonstrate compassion, action, and faith in practice.

Offering a firsthand view of a hospital emergency department, this personal narrative reveals the role and experiences of a chaplain as a true member of the medical team.