A few months ago, a hospice patient was in great respiratory distress at home. There
were no beds available at the Hospice Center and, per policy, the patient had to go through the ED before being admitted to a medical floor. . .

The patient's wife said he did not want to die in the hospital and she did not want him to die in the ED. The patient was sleeping but he was up against the rail of the stretcher, and did not look comfortable. I tried to make him more comfortable but had a
great deal of trouble since he was on a stretcher.

I was told he could not go to a medical floor with a BiPAP machine, and I was in the process of asking why he was still on the BiPAP machine when the hospitalist and Correna came around the corner. We discussed taking him off the BiPAP but it would take time. Before we knew it, Correna left and came back with a hospital bed and had Transport transfer the patient onto the bed. I asked if the Dilaudid drip could be started in the ED. Correna got a pump and went to the pharmacy to pick up the medication. We dimmed
the lights and the patient looked comfortable.

With the actions of Correna, the patient's wife calmed down and was able to sit. The patient looked comfortable so he could be weaned from the BiPAP machine. Correna changed the room he was assigned on 6W so he was closer to her. She said she was going to care for him that evening.

Correna was precepting a nurse that evening, but she added to her assignment so she could care for this patient who was dying.

A few hours later, I called to see how the patient and his wife were doing. Correna said the patient was comfortable and his wife was doing much better. The patient died the next morning. He died peacefully and his wife stayed the night with him. She was doing as well as expected.

Thanks to Correna for making a bad situation into a good one, and making this patient and his wife comfortable in our hospital.

-From a hospice liaison at EvergreenHealth