The Critical Care Unit (CCU) received a 36-year-old patient who had taken a horrible turn for the worse and was actively dying. It was found out that the patient had four minor children staying in a nearby hotel that had no idea of the condition of their mother. The family had been traveling for the holiday and had stopped for the night in Zanesville. The patient had been experiencing worsening shortness of breath and came to our facility by ambulance, leaving her children, ages 16, 13, 10, and 6 at the hotel. Upon the patient's arrival, the patient was able to communicate where her children were and give staff the contact information for her mother, who was in New York. 

As the Nursing Campus Coordinator for the day, I was rounding in the Critical Care Unit, and the staff brought this patient to my attention. By this time, the patient was unresponsive, intubated, and fighting for her life. The CCU team was preparing to transport the patient to another facility. Due to the patient's condition, we all agreed that we had to get these children here as soon as possible, as they may not have another chance to see their mother alive. Through several phone calls and communication with the patient's mother, we were able to get the children here in time to see their mother one last time. Once the patient was transferred, as a team, we continued to care for the children until their grandmother was able to arrive from New York to pick them up. 

The Chaplain and I remained with the children, got them lunch, and provided support. The entire CCU team made several offers to go out and get food and snacks. The Pediatric nurses opened their unit to us giving us room and access to their playroom for the youngest child. As a Team we all assured these children were loved, cared for, and kept safe until their grandmother could get to our facility. 

This scenario mirrors our values here at Genesis HealthCare System. Every single person involved acted out of compassion for this entire family. We all wanted to ensure these children were able to see their mom that one last time, and we all did everything we could to make them as comfortable as possible. We were innovative in coming up with a way to get the children to the hospital. The actions we took and the support we provided built a trusting relationship between our team, the children, and their grandmother. Everything we did that day went above and beyond any expectations of any member of our team. Nothing but true excellence was exhibited in the care provided to this family.

While there was no positive outcome in this scenario, we came together as a team to make sure these children were cared for in quite possibly the worst moment of their lives. 

Once the children were turned over to their grandmother, we came together to care for one another. This entire situation took an enormous toll on each one of us involved, and each of us came together to provide love and support for one another as we worked through all the emotion that came with this situation. The amount of love, support, and care that was shown, not only to this family, but also, to one another, was the truest example of what nursing should be. It is the reason that each of us chose to be in nursing and healthcare, and it is one of the most exemplary examples of teamwork that I have been involved in during my time at Genesis.