Mask On, Mask Off
Of Face Masks and Emotional Barriers
While we can all certainly agree to “never judge a book by its cover,” there is still something to be said for the expression “clothes make the person.” Whether it’s first responders, essential workers or other service dress, the person who wears a uniform is imbued with both the authority that it represents as well as the weight of responsibility in wielding that authority properly so as to earn the respect of the community at large. The same holds true for the medical and healthcare profession, from doctors and nurses to EMTs and even administrative staff, whether dressed in scrubs, a lab coat or business attire.
But just as what we wear is intended to create an aura of respect or confirm an identity, how we wear it can make or break a crucial bond of trust and sense of respect between the person in uniform and the general public who are dependent upon him or her. This is why there are strict rules and penalties for those who wear official attire improperly or in a slovenly manner. While no such penalties per se exist in health care, the consequences for improper or poorly worn attire are just as severe – especially in this time of pandemic. This is why it’s vitally important that we wear our personal protection equipment (PPE), in this case, facemasks, correctly to prevent the spread of the COVID virus or other contagions. And yet a great many of us are guilty of either not wearing our PPE properly or otherwise taking shortcuts that leave us – and others – vulnerable.
There is also what I feel an important parable between actual PPE and the less tangible “equipment” of life we wear; that which is not only physical, but mental, relational, emotional, and spiritual. For instance, when we say to make sure your facemask fits snugly around the nose and mouth, are we also making sure that the situations we find ourselves in as a healthcare professional “fit” our abilities? If they don’t, or we aren’t sure, we must never hesitate to reach out to colleagues for their assistance and advice.
When we make sure our facemasks aren’t broken or faulty, we should be thinking too about making sure our physical, mental, emotional, relational and spiritual preparation is well-set and established. Improper preparation or shortcuts are just as potentially dangerous in life as well as in medicine. When we talk about taking care of your mask and replacing it when needed, we ought to also be thinking of making sure we nurture that which God has given us – our minds, bodies and souls – and when necessary, make the necessary upgrades.
God wants us to be, in medicine and in life, in a constant state of improving. He encourages us to continue to remember the ongoing “newness” of our creation in Jesus by making sure we are appropriately taken care of:
“Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Whether it’s facemasks, PPE or “life” equipment, let’s make sure we are using the right equipment well.
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However, we must remember that while protecting ourselves and those around us, we should be mindful not to build an impenetrable barrier that prevents our compassion, caring and love from reaching those we seek to comfort and heal. All of us should strive to use and wear our PPE properly, not only to prevent the spread of infection but to set an example for our patients and the public that we are absolutely committed to their health and well-being, starting with ourselves. At the same time, we must never let the accoutrements of our profession become psychological barriers that distance ourselves from them, as well as isolate ourselves in a way that can scar us emotionally as well. Being an instrument of the Lord in providing comfort is every bit a part of doing His work as is healing.
