May 2021
Colleen
Bohrer
,
RN, BSN, CCRN
Intensive Care Unit
St. Lucie Medical Center
Colleen stayed in the room, in full PPE and held her hand, talked to the patient, and stroked her forehead as she passed away. She never left her alone.
Colleen Bohrer was caring for a COVID patient who was failing. The patient's daughter was a nurse at another facility and understood the full extent of how sick she was, and still wanted all heroic measures. When these interventions – IV pressors, life support and all treatment options did not improve the patient's prognosis, Colleen was exceptionally kind and comforted the daughter, who made her mother a DNR, and placed her into hospice status here. The daughter of the patient, herself a nurse, was just so heartbroken with grief, she could not bear to stay with her mother as she passed. She said she trusted Colleen to provide great care. And that she did. Colleen stayed in the room, in full PPE and held her hand, talked to the patient and stroked her forehead as she passed away. She never left her alone. Afterwards, she called the patient's daughter to let her know she had passed peacefully. The daughter was so grateful that Colleen treated her mom like family.
When I thanked and complemented Colleen, she said 'It was the right thing to do."
When I thanked and complemented Colleen, she said 'It was the right thing to do."