Nurse Edralyn (Lyn) Patulot's young patient recently sustained multiple severe injuries from a bike accident. He was unable to communicate and perform his usual functions of daily living. With will and determination, and the perseverance and commitment of his care team and physicians, who did everything to give him a fighting chance, he made it through initial treatment and surgery. His family and friends were devastated by this event. They offered prayers and support for him and each other.
Nurse Lyn, having bonded with her patient and family, was sharing in their grief and sorrow. After all, she has a son close in age to her young patient.
Today, she was coordinating his transfer to long-term care and skillfully integrated the coordination of a special event beyond the special skill set and competency of nurses. Had it not been for the accident and subsequent hospitalization, Lyn's patient would have graduated with his class, a dream he and his family had prior to this. His mother requested that his high school principal and other faculty be allowed to visit to present him with his diploma in the DOU. That was all she asked. The request was granted, absolutely, but Lyn felt she needed to do more. She went beyond the protocols of medication administration and frequent turnings - all important aspects of the treatment plan, to ensure today would be special for patient, family, friends and school administrators alike.
Lyn saw this young man in the bed, and she imagined the life that he had to put on pause. A family grappling with the difficulty of what has happened to their loved one. Friends and classmates left to wonder what the future holds. Nurse Lyn understood that life and dreams do not have to end with unfortunate circumstances. She operated from the knowledge that every moment of life is precious and worth celebrating and for him, he wanted to graduate from high school. And he would! Nurse Lyn did what most nurses would only contemplate. She went outside the routines of care to ensure her patient, family and loved ones knew that the care team empathized, and as nurses, we not only care for patient's physical well-being, but rather for the whole person - body, mind, and spirit. We address the emotional, psychosocial, mental and spiritual wellbeing and the joy of patients and families. Lyn respected the dignity of her patient by acknowledging that although he was unable to walk or do what he was accustomed to, he is still alive.
Lyn fulfilled the difficult task of organizing and coordinating care beyond the hospital bed. She worked with her team to ensure he graduated in style, no matter what. And he did! Under the theme "Ambience." Lyn sought and received permission from his parents to decorate his room and coordinated times with them to ensure this event went on prior to their son's transfer to long-term care. They provided the arts and crafts items for the room decorations and created the banner for the room. Lyn sought and received approval for a special celebratory tray to be delivered to the room from the Nutrition Department. She wanted to ensure his long road to recovery would be special, starting today.
At 10:15 am, with his family, friends, high school principal and other faculty present at the bedside, Nurse Lyn, her peers, and managers gathered to witness her patient receiving his high school diploma in his hospital bed. Today, Lyn created and celebrated something that all nurses do, one day at a time. She created hope and celebrated life. She met the request of the family with much compassion, care, and empathy while preserving the dignity of her patient.