Rebecca Sullivan
May 2019
Rebecca
Sullivan
,
RN, BSN
Oncology Unit
Advocate Sherman Hospital
Elgin
,
IL
United States

 

 

 

Rebecca had an elderly patient and hospice was going to be meeting with the family later that day. The patient wasn't extremely ill but had taken a turn for the worse just before her shift started. A couple of hours into her shift, Rebecca saw me and updated me on the patient. We went in together and the patient was "actively dying". Rebecca had never had one of her patients die before so she was nervous. We came up with a plan, contacted the family and made the patient comfortable. A couple of hours later we were in the patient's room and needed to clean the patient. She was cold from sweating. Rebecca ran to get warm blankets and saw the harpist. She asked if she could come to her patient's room. The harpist came in and played a couple of songs. Rebecca tucked the patient in a nice warm blanket and her patient took her last breath at that moment. The patient died with beautiful music, tucked in a warm blanket with staff and family surrounding and supporting her. It is a special gift when a patient chooses to die with someone since it is the last gift that they can give in the physical world. Rebecca gave her patient warmth, compassion, and a wonderful send-off. It was a beautiful and peaceful death.