Emergency Nurse — Patricia Rae

In the Intensive Care Unit of Preston General Hospital there is always something happening: giving medications, transcribing doctors' orders, overseeing the administration of IV's, X-rays, EKG's and lab work -- not to mention the constant, day-to-day crises of life and death.

Trained to cope with the unexpected, plagued by the frustrations of fighting sickness and death, Kay Strom, emergency nurse, remained cool, calm and unperturbed -- until Hugh Boyett was admitted.

Suddenly she became hardened and detached, not just with him but with all her patients. Was it because he reminded her of the husband she had lost not long ago? Was she denying her emotions because she was afraid of the pain? It was dangerous to let personal problems affect professional care -- especially when it involved life and death. Kay knew the decision was hers alone: if she was going to help people live -- she would have to take a chance on life herself…