My nursing career started outside of MSK, and oncology. I have never had the experience of working inpatient. However, I did experience the inpatient world, from the opposite end of the bedside. I wasn't the one providing care, I was receiving it. My Dad was diagnosed with Stage IV cholangiocarcinoma in September of 2022 and MSK was swift in establishing his care. Unfortunately, my Dad’s journey involved numerous complications and inpatient admissions. He spent time on various floors, but the care he received on M18 was by far, the best. His first admission was on M18 and prior to starting treatment. His stay was almost a month long, complicated by a discharge and same day readmission. This was when the relationship our family built with the nurses who cared for him began. Nurses would come in and check on my Dad even when he wasn’t part of their assignment. 

His last admission began in February. He spent his 68th birthday in the hospital and as his condition became more serious, he was transferred to M18. This was a relief to not only my family but also my Dad. He felt the most comfortable there because he was closely monitored and cared for. While the care alone could be the highlight of this story, it really begins on the events of that day. It was the date planned for my younger sister to get engaged. We had hoped my Dad would be discharged home for it, but his condition didn’t allow for that. So we switched gears. My sister got engaged that morning and then went to the hospital to visit my Dad with her new fiancé. She was none the wiser, thinking she’d be surprising my Dad with the news. However, the nurses helped my Dad pull off his own surprise. They 1. Kept a secret for a few weeks and 2. Helped to decorate the room, with signs on the window and flowers. My Dad wasn’t able to get out of bed, so the nurses paraded in after my sister arrived to congratulate her and make it a really special event for her, and especially my Dad. 

My family was extremely touched by the nurses’ actions. That evening, after a fulfilling celebration with my sister, made possible by the team on M18, my Dad made the decision to stop treatment. From that day, until he passed, every nurse on that floor rolled out the red carpet. We were in a private room with many visitors able to spend some quality time with my Dad and the nurses popped in throughout the day to laugh, cry, listen, and pay respects. My Dad was a retired Lieutenant for the NYPD. After he passed, the honor guard transported him out of the hospital. The nursing team again, assisted us in preparing for the transfer, taking us through the hospital, and sharing in that moment of his departure from the hospital courtesy of the NYPD. Their physical and emotional support is what helped to get us through the following weeks.

The nursing team on M18 is made up of highly skilled, critically thinking nurses who are full of compassion and empathy. In treating my Dad, their focus wasn’t just patient-centered; it was family centered. By making my Dad comfortable, they were able to make us comfortable. In the moments we couldn’t be present, we knew someone on M18 would be spending quality time caring for my Dad, so he never felt alone. My Dad’s inpatient experience was not an easy road, with constant setbacks. The team constantly prioritized his care, calming his fears. Most of all, they helped him in his final days, brought a smile to his and my little sisters' faces through a milestone moment he never envisioned missing out on. In his final hours, the nursing team brought comfort to my Dad, which allowed him to pass peacefully.

The nature of teamwork is evident on M18. The nurses are always working in pairs to turn patients, get them out of bed, ambulating, etc. Setting up services for my Dad to receive last rites, have visitors around the clock, and maintain comfort from various departments in the hospital shows the collaboration reaches to all levels of the institution. A few members of the team that had primarily cared for my Dad reached out after he passed to express their condolences. I know he touched their lives, but M18 touched the hearts of my Mom, my sisters, and me, and we are grateful beyond measure they were able to help my Dad pass peacefully, witness the respect of his NYPD comrades, help my sister have a beautiful memory of her engagement story, and lift us with their support through our most difficult days.