Working in the cardiac stress testing department of a mega-hospital complex is a little like working in a factory, except that instead of producing widgets, our factory produces completed cardiac stress tests. There is pressure from supervisors to get patients tests done quickly, so that more tests can be done. The departments emphasis on efficiently running patients through the testing process is so dehumanizing that I feel a strong need to make a meaningful connection with each patient. Observations on Midwives and Epidural Anesthesia During Labor and Delivery.