Kimberly Grogan
November 2021
Kimberly
Grogan
,
RN
Trauma Intensive Care Unit ( TICU)
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
San Jose
,
CA
United States
Kim arranged the patient and all his tubes/lines to create space for the wife to crawl into the hospital bed with her husband.
In the early morning hours a mass shooting occurred in our community. VMC TICU received one patient from the shooting. When the patient arrived, his poor prognosis was evident. Kim Grogan, RN was working the PM shift on this day and was assigned as the primary RN for the patient. The patient’s condition was declining and he wasn't expected to survive more than a few hours. The wife of this patient allowed private time for each member of his family to say their goodbyes. Once it was her turn to spend time with her husband, she had only one ask...she wanted to get into bed with her husband and lie next to him. Kim made it happen. She arranged the patient and all his tubes/lines to create space for the wife to crawl into the hospital bed with her husband. Once there, she said a few meaningful words to him and the patient (with a tear running down his face), took her hand, and then took his last breath and died, all while being held by his wife.
In the following days, the wife of the patient gave several interviews. In one interview, she is quoted as saying "He was really fighting hard. He didn't wanna go anywhere, and I didn't want him to go. The nurse was so sweet and wonderful and moved him over in his bed so I could lay down next to him and be with him. He just somehow knew I was there because his hand had been twitchy. But it grabbed my hand and the nurse came in because he was deteriorating and she said "he knows you're here," she said. "He's crying and he took his last breath. That is where it stopped right then and there."
Kim created this special and meaningful moment and memory for this wife. It will be a cherished memory despite also being one of the worst moments of her life. My sincere thanks, appreciation and admiration to Kim for creating this opportunity for the wife of the patient. And, how incredible for the patient to take his final breath while being held by his wife of 20+ years. Her actions will be remembered by this wife for the rest of her life. What a profound impact she will forever have on those the patient left behind.
In the following days, the wife of the patient gave several interviews. In one interview, she is quoted as saying "He was really fighting hard. He didn't wanna go anywhere, and I didn't want him to go. The nurse was so sweet and wonderful and moved him over in his bed so I could lay down next to him and be with him. He just somehow knew I was there because his hand had been twitchy. But it grabbed my hand and the nurse came in because he was deteriorating and she said "he knows you're here," she said. "He's crying and he took his last breath. That is where it stopped right then and there."
Kim created this special and meaningful moment and memory for this wife. It will be a cherished memory despite also being one of the worst moments of her life. My sincere thanks, appreciation and admiration to Kim for creating this opportunity for the wife of the patient. And, how incredible for the patient to take his final breath while being held by his wife of 20+ years. Her actions will be remembered by this wife for the rest of her life. What a profound impact she will forever have on those the patient left behind.