Critical Care Team
December 2020
Critical
Team
ICU
Homestead Hospital
Diana Barros, RN
Fritz Boucicault, RN
Domingo Gomero, RN
Vonneda Hendrickson, RN
Alianis Hernandez, RN
Roy Mendez, RN
Cylpha Obando, RN
Maria Ramirez-Montalvo, RN
Jasmine Reyes, RN
Wendy Rey-Snyder, RN
Nataly Ruiz, RN
Collette Woods, RN
Fritz Boucicault, RN
Domingo Gomero, RN
Vonneda Hendrickson, RN
Alianis Hernandez, RN
Roy Mendez, RN
Cylpha Obando, RN
Maria Ramirez-Montalvo, RN
Jasmine Reyes, RN
Wendy Rey-Snyder, RN
Nataly Ruiz, RN
Collette Woods, RN
His wife talked to him, kissed him, and said I love you. When she doffed her PPE, she thanked us with tears in her eyes.
A member of our community and his entire family contracted COVID. Unfortunately, this patient was the only one from his family that became very ill. He was brought to ICU and intubated within hours. The ICU Staff started the usual procedures proning him. We would update his wife and children 2-3 times a day. As the days progressed the family started to retest and get negative COVID results, so they were permitted to come in once a day for 15 minutes see him through the glass door.
The patient's wife had not received her COVID test results back. Even though she was asymptomatic, she was not permitted to come to the hospital. The patient was worsening as the days went on. We did ZOOM calls so she could see him. We would take the iPad into the room so he could hear her voice. As nurses, we knew the patient's day was getting near. On his final day, his wife begged to please let her see him. We got permission from our Manager. We all knew the patient was dying and that there was no way of saving him, but we didn't want him to die alone. We waited for his wife downstairs, dressed her up with an N95 and the proper PPE.
We escorted her into the room where she stayed for at least 30 minutes. His wife talked to him, kissed him, and said I love you. When she doffed her PPE, she thanked us with tears in her eyes. She asked what did she need to do to disconnect him. I was confused by her request. His wife explained that he never wanted to be intubated but agreed because of her. She promised him that if she saw he was not going to make it, she would disconnect him and let him die with dignity. We were all in shock by her response. We understood and we all knew he was not going to make it. As sad as this story is we were able to let the patient die with dignity and with his wife by his side.
We as nurses are taught to care for our patients and to get them better. But COVID has taught us that we can't make them all better. Sometimes we just have to be there to be able to make sure they die with dignity and with loved ones by their side. This was a difficult decision to make as healthcare providers because we are aware of the possibility of cross-contamination. But we are a family-centered Magnet hospital, and we felt this was the correct thing to do. We are patient advocates, and we need to understand that our patients need their loved ones, especially in their last moments.
The patient's wife had not received her COVID test results back. Even though she was asymptomatic, she was not permitted to come to the hospital. The patient was worsening as the days went on. We did ZOOM calls so she could see him. We would take the iPad into the room so he could hear her voice. As nurses, we knew the patient's day was getting near. On his final day, his wife begged to please let her see him. We got permission from our Manager. We all knew the patient was dying and that there was no way of saving him, but we didn't want him to die alone. We waited for his wife downstairs, dressed her up with an N95 and the proper PPE.
We escorted her into the room where she stayed for at least 30 minutes. His wife talked to him, kissed him, and said I love you. When she doffed her PPE, she thanked us with tears in her eyes. She asked what did she need to do to disconnect him. I was confused by her request. His wife explained that he never wanted to be intubated but agreed because of her. She promised him that if she saw he was not going to make it, she would disconnect him and let him die with dignity. We were all in shock by her response. We understood and we all knew he was not going to make it. As sad as this story is we were able to let the patient die with dignity and with his wife by his side.
We as nurses are taught to care for our patients and to get them better. But COVID has taught us that we can't make them all better. Sometimes we just have to be there to be able to make sure they die with dignity and with loved ones by their side. This was a difficult decision to make as healthcare providers because we are aware of the possibility of cross-contamination. But we are a family-centered Magnet hospital, and we felt this was the correct thing to do. We are patient advocates, and we need to understand that our patients need their loved ones, especially in their last moments.