Downtown Atlanta is the home of one of the nation’s best trauma centers: Grady Memorial Hospital. Grady is a place where life begins and often ends. It is a place where emotions run high and never die. There is the proud dad on the fourth floor and the grief stricken motherless child on the sixth floor. Grady’s workforce ranges from janitorial workers to medical practitioners. It is the one place that is dreaded by many but appreciated by many more. It is a hospital!

I had the opportunity to visit Grady not as a patient or concerned visitor but this time as an inquisitive spectator. I felt observably shaken and nervous because I look at the hospital as a gloomy place. Not familiar with the layout of the hospital, I made a grand entrance from the left wing. This entrance lead me directly to the emergency center. I was immediately met with the dreaded “hospital smell”. It was a smell of sickness. I took the first seat which happened to be next to my first project. Before I could gather my thoughts, an old lady in a wheelchair greeted me and advised, “Go check in. There is a long wait.” I nodded with a sigh and explained that I was visiting as a student. She went on to tell me about her illness and at times getting personal. As she talked, I noticed the severity of the other patients’ illnesses. One patient was wrapped head to toe in covers, shivering, and coughing uncontrollably. Another patient received care immediately for a bleeding head injury. The conversation continued for about ten more minutes then she instructed me to go to the check-in desk and inquire about her wait. Thinking of my grandmother back home, I did just as she said. The receptionist at the window requested my ID and explained that she did not have consent to speak with me about the patient.
The receptionist’s reply shifted my focus in another direction.

My focus was now on the security of the patients in the hospital. When we visit the hospital, we think about the medical care of the patients and often take for granted patient security. There was a security guard there for obvious reasons but do we understand the extent of her job in a hospital? Violence can take place anywhere and the hospital is no exception. Declining to go on camera because of hospital policies and protocols, the security guard explained that her job is to protect people, property, and information. Yes, even to protect patient’s information. In the emergency center, her job is to maintain order and respond quickly to any security setoff in the hospital. This explained the metal detectors and the security cameras that were strategically placed throughout the building.

At the main entrance, there is an additional desk where visitors are required to check-in. Some floors require additional forms of clearance. Tight security is enforced on the maternity wing. I discovered this when I attempted to visit the nursery. Even with a legitimate ID, I was denied access.
For the most part, I was not allowed anywhere in the hospital with the exception of the lobby, the emergency center, the cafeteria, and the gift shop. The gift shop is open to the public. It includes an array of congratulatory gifts and “sorry for your loss” souvenirs to welcome births and comfort grievers. These gifts accommodate the visitor’s diverse emotions that are encountered every day.