Emily Stark
September 2016
Emily
Stark
,
RN, BSN, RN-BC
CCU/MICU
CoxHealth
Springfield
,
MO
United States

 

 

 

While caring for a patient in CCU, Emily learned from her patient's family that the patient, who is 97 years old, would sit by the window at his assisted living facility and continually ask to go outside. He resided in the dementia ward and could get agitated when staff refused to take him outside. In response to this, the staff chose to hang a sheet over the window to take away his interest in going outside.
Soon after his condition worsened and he was brought to the unit, the family had to make the difficult decision to place their loved one on comfort care. Emily felt that the patient would benefit from being outside one last time. She chose to stay after her shift and take him outside one last time. With the assistance of another nurse, they took him outside to breath fresh air once more before he departed. Emily provided above and beyond compassionate care.