May 2021
Nerissa
Bickford
,
RN
Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital
Harris Health System
Nerissa developed a Plan of Care that acknowledged and respected the needs of this patient
An 80-year-old woman, J, was admitted to the unit. Treating physicians determined that she was in the final stage of her life. On admission to the hospital, the patient was identified as Roman Catholic, with a request from the family that all religious practices be honored.
J had a scapular hanging around her neck. A scapular is a cloth pendant that is blessed by a Catholic priest and is significant to many who practice Catholicism. It is worn under clothing and has a picture of a saint on one side. Once blessed, it is believed that it should be worn at all times. J's family requested that the scapular never be removed, even after she passed.
Identifying Appropriate Resources, J passed on. Since the family was noted as being religious, Nerissa Bickford realized that the family would need support from a Priest. She paged the hospital chaplain to assure that J's family was given whatever religious support they needed. Shortly thereafter, a priest visited the family and offered grief support and prayer.
The family had asked that the patient's scapular remain with her. Nerissa developed a Plan of Care that acknowledged and respected the needs of this patient and her family. She called the LBJ morgue to convey the request about the scapular. Since there was no answer in the morgue, Nerissa contacted the Admitting Office and was redirected to Security. She explained the request to Security and received affirmation that she could leave the scapular on the patient per the family's religious request. She was assured that it would not be removed. With the family's permission, Nerissa then contacted the Guardian Angel funeral home and spoke with a representative. She explained the family's request and was assured that the request would be honored. She was informed that the funeral home would leave the scapular around the patient's neck. Nerissa notified the family of the actions that she had taken to ensure their religious beliefs were acknowledged and honored. The scapular would remain with J throughout the process of transferring her to the morgue, transporting her to the funeral home, and preparing her for burial.
J had a scapular hanging around her neck. A scapular is a cloth pendant that is blessed by a Catholic priest and is significant to many who practice Catholicism. It is worn under clothing and has a picture of a saint on one side. Once blessed, it is believed that it should be worn at all times. J's family requested that the scapular never be removed, even after she passed.
Identifying Appropriate Resources, J passed on. Since the family was noted as being religious, Nerissa Bickford realized that the family would need support from a Priest. She paged the hospital chaplain to assure that J's family was given whatever religious support they needed. Shortly thereafter, a priest visited the family and offered grief support and prayer.
The family had asked that the patient's scapular remain with her. Nerissa developed a Plan of Care that acknowledged and respected the needs of this patient and her family. She called the LBJ morgue to convey the request about the scapular. Since there was no answer in the morgue, Nerissa contacted the Admitting Office and was redirected to Security. She explained the request to Security and received affirmation that she could leave the scapular on the patient per the family's religious request. She was assured that it would not be removed. With the family's permission, Nerissa then contacted the Guardian Angel funeral home and spoke with a representative. She explained the family's request and was assured that the request would be honored. She was informed that the funeral home would leave the scapular around the patient's neck. Nerissa notified the family of the actions that she had taken to ensure their religious beliefs were acknowledged and honored. The scapular would remain with J throughout the process of transferring her to the morgue, transporting her to the funeral home, and preparing her for burial.