Brystol Rajtik
December 2024
Brystol
Rajtik
,
BSN, RN
CCU
WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital
Chambersburg
,
PA
United States
That is when Brystol clearly understood her assignment and went into action. Brystol dimmed the lights, lowered the curtains, pulled up a chair and took the patient's hand. She sat and she talked with the patient and also sat in silence.
Brystol had the opportunity to deliver care to a critically ill patient who is 58 years young. The patient had developed multisystem organ dysfunction due to advanced cancer and quickly required advanced care, including continuous dialysis treatments that only a critical care staff member could administer.
Delivering care to the patient was sometimes challenging for staff. He did not list any friends or family to be a support system for him. It pulled at their heartstrings knowing that the patient was possibly silently suffering and felt alone.
When the staff asked who they could call to come to be with him, he said, “No one”.When the providers discussed his prognosis, he was often silent…. Only saying a few words. The patient and the staff knew his time for this world was not long.
The staff tried to bring as much comfort as they could to him. They did such things as asking him if he was hungry for anything special and they would get it. They made arrangements for him to have some time with a pastor and offered to pray.
It came to the patient's last day on earth as he lay in his bed. Brystol was once again his caregiver.
The patient was still engaging in conversation with the staff even though his blood pressure was not high enough to even perfuse the right amount of blood to his internal organs.
The patient was again asked… that in the event that he would stop breathing or his heart would stop… if he would like us to perform resuscitation measures. Historically, he said for the staff to do whatever they thought was best… this time, he really did not respond.
Brystol once again asked if she could call someone to be here with him and was honest with the patient in stating that his vital signs were failing. The patient once again said that he did not want anyone called and reached over to his personal cell phone and locked it so the staff would not attempt to find someone.
That is when Brystol clearly understood her assignment and went into action. Brystol dimmed the lights, lowered the curtains, pulled up a chair and took the patient's hand. She sat and she talked with the patient and also sat in silence.
Within 20 minutes, the patient's body had succumbed to the dreaded illness. Brystol stayed with him until his last breath, meeting the patient where he was at…… mentally, physically, and spiritually.
This is not the first of Brystol’s great work. She frequently takes care of the most critically ill patient on the unit and can quickly intervene to meet their specific needs.
Other staff watch her and learn from her examples of compassion. She is respected and revered by many. She so deserves recognition for her intelligent mind and her compassionate heart.
Delivering care to the patient was sometimes challenging for staff. He did not list any friends or family to be a support system for him. It pulled at their heartstrings knowing that the patient was possibly silently suffering and felt alone.
When the staff asked who they could call to come to be with him, he said, “No one”.When the providers discussed his prognosis, he was often silent…. Only saying a few words. The patient and the staff knew his time for this world was not long.
The staff tried to bring as much comfort as they could to him. They did such things as asking him if he was hungry for anything special and they would get it. They made arrangements for him to have some time with a pastor and offered to pray.
It came to the patient's last day on earth as he lay in his bed. Brystol was once again his caregiver.
The patient was still engaging in conversation with the staff even though his blood pressure was not high enough to even perfuse the right amount of blood to his internal organs.
The patient was again asked… that in the event that he would stop breathing or his heart would stop… if he would like us to perform resuscitation measures. Historically, he said for the staff to do whatever they thought was best… this time, he really did not respond.
Brystol once again asked if she could call someone to be here with him and was honest with the patient in stating that his vital signs were failing. The patient once again said that he did not want anyone called and reached over to his personal cell phone and locked it so the staff would not attempt to find someone.
That is when Brystol clearly understood her assignment and went into action. Brystol dimmed the lights, lowered the curtains, pulled up a chair and took the patient's hand. She sat and she talked with the patient and also sat in silence.
Within 20 minutes, the patient's body had succumbed to the dreaded illness. Brystol stayed with him until his last breath, meeting the patient where he was at…… mentally, physically, and spiritually.
This is not the first of Brystol’s great work. She frequently takes care of the most critically ill patient on the unit and can quickly intervene to meet their specific needs.
Other staff watch her and learn from her examples of compassion. She is respected and revered by many. She so deserves recognition for her intelligent mind and her compassionate heart.