Diane Santos
October 2020
Diane
Santos
,
BSN, RN
ICU
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

 

 

 

Diane went out of her way to advocate for this man's dying wish, and did so in an absolutely beautiful way: she brought string lights and LED candles around his bed, which helped the moment feel sacred and special.
One of our patients on the unit dying of end-stage liver disease made a final request to pass away in his own home. Our palliative care team helped transition him to inpatient hospice, and prepare for the difficult task of transporting him home for a compassionate extubation in the home environment. Diane was instrumental in coordinating the patient's complex care to make the entire process possible, demonstrating such compassion for the family and such skill at supporting the patient's tenuous medical state throughout this process. She initiated a Three Wishes request for the patient, creating mementos for the family to treasure. Unfortunately, the patient was not able to be taken home due to a transportation issue. Undeterred, Diane worked unflaggingly with our team to help arrange a compassionate extubation on the patio, in order to honor his wish not to die within the hospital. The nurse worked tirelessly to make this undertaking compassionate, sensitive, and loving. She went out of her way to advocate for this man's dying wish, and did so in an absolutely beautiful way: she brought string lights and LED candles around his bed, which helped the moment feel sacred and special. I am absolutely blown away by Diane. She is inspired to go the extra mile for patients, especially in a situation where it would be easy to ignore a final wish. She embodies what I hope all nurses aspire to: to find ways to honor and support our patients, even when we can't save their lives. Hopefully, she will be recognized for her fantastic work in providing compassionate care to patients and families.