Working conditions in hospital wards are often difficult. There are fewer and fewer healthcare workers. As workloads continue to grow, there is less time to spend with patients. Little is known about daily life in a hospital ward.
Hélène Mauri, who had been a nurse for seven years, went on to become a photographer after spending three years returning to school at the École nationale supérieure Louis Lumière. This gave her the opportunity to return to the hospital and use photography to document the daily lives of healthcare workers in a medical ward—a reality she herself had experienced a few years earlier.
With the eye of both a photographer and a caregiver, the photographer followed the healthcare workers as they tended to patients and during their breaks. There was exhaustion, smiles, difficult situations, but also moments of relaxation and laughter. Despite everything, everyone keeps going with a smile. Through teamwork, the healthcare workers provide care, a listening ear, and their time.
This photo essay, titled “The White Coats,” pays tribute to all healthcare workers and captures moments from their daily lives.
