One of our Veterans that was diagnosed with COVID, unfortunately, became sick, and the decision was made to transition him to comfort measures. The Veteran's family was offered the option to come to the unit to be present during the extubation and they elected to do so. Mr. Martinez was the DARRT Nurse on this day and at the time of extubation was entering the unit and noticed the two family members sitting outside the sliding glass door of MICU. As he got closer to the family, he could hear them talking and crying amongst themselves. Mr. Martinez understood the safety precautions required and the importance of keeping the family outside of the room. Mr. Martinez called the primary nurse on his VOCERA while she was still in the room and instructed her to stay close to the Veteran. He then handed his VOCERA badge to the family and told them their family member can still hear them. Mr. Martinez was able to give the Veteran one last time to hear his daughters' voices. He also was able to give the daughters the opportunity to speak to their dad one last time. Mr. Martinez gave them all a moment that is priceless and unforgettable. The family shared their appreciation for being able to speak with their father and found comfort in being able to say goodbye.

This story highlights the commitment of our staff’s Sensitivity of Operations. It also demonstrated one of the seven HRO values; “it’s about the Veteran.” As we focus on exploring different processes and are mindful of ways to reduce risk, it is always reassuring that compassion remains at the core of our staff.