I would like to recognize the following individuals who came together to think creatively in providing very holistic, patient-centered care not only for a patient on the Cardiac Unit but also for the patient’s husband on MPCU. This story depicts the remarkable teamwork and ability to do the right thing for these patients as one transitioned from our living world. 

Recently, Tanay Kontz, MPCU RN, called Melanie Roth, Cardiac RN, caring for patient M on the Cardiac Unit. She wanted to coordinate a time for M’s husband, who was a patient on MPCU, to visit M as he was actively dying. Initially, Melanie was willing to arrange a time for a visit. However, she further consulted the charge RN, Alicia Rains, and another RN, Kylie Baker, feeling it may be more appropriate for the husband to stay with his wife, M, for the end of his life.

To achieve this, Kylie thought of the idea to admit the husband to the Cardiac Unit in the room next to M. Alicia, Kylie & Melanie were the driving force not only in assisting with the husband’s transfer to the unit, but also in having him spend his last hours of life in M’s room. Melanie communicated this plan to Tanay and received immediate agreement. These four nurses were instrumental in coordinating this extraordinary, patient-centered plan of care during such a monumental life moment. 

One piece of care coordination was ensuring the nurses had knowledge of Bipap, which the husband was currently on. The Cardiac Unit doesn’t normally take care of patients with this device; however, since the patient was end-of-life and expected to pass quickly once the Bipap was removed, the Cardiac RNs arranged for teaching from Respiratory Therapy to ensure nursing could care for the patient until its removal. The MCR House Supervisor, Rhonda Rutt, was notified of and supportive of the team’s plan for compassionate care provision for M, her husband, and their family.
    
It took the entire team to coordinate the transition of M’s husband to her room, moving the beds next to each other so they could physically touch during this time.

Also, the Bipap had to be removed by the end of the shift, so this care was arranged for a time with the primary RN. The primary RN kept the patient comfortable. By the time it was time for Bipap removal, the husband was ready as well. This was an emotionally rewarding and challenging time for the primary RN to ensure the patient and family communication remained respectful, coordinated, and appropriate. Ultimately, it gave the husband, wife, and family hours of time together.

A key moment in their lives as the family was all in the room was the ability for M to hold her husband’s hand until he passed. Then, once the family was ready, the nurses and care team moved the husband’s body to the room next door, where he was officially admitted. 

M was so moved by what this team did for her and her family that she expressed her gratitude to the Chaplain when I was also made aware of this compassionate moment in nursing. Below are Melissa’s words of gratitude to the entire team involved in making this moment possible during this difficult phase of life transition.

“I’ve never seen a team work so quickly & efficiently to go above and beyond for me & my husband. I hadn’t seen my husband in at least two months. I wanted to hold his hand. They made sure that I was able to hold his hand. They did everything and worked so hard to get him here. 

There is nothing big enough to thank them for what they did!

It was said somewhere: ‘In a world of cactus, be a sunflower.’ They all were sunflowers that day & they took some of the pain away.”