May 2020
Sabrina
Patterson
,
RN
Emergency Department
Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge
Morganton
,
NC
United States
There was an older gentleman who had come into the ED after a car accident via EMS for treatment. The patient's wife was told by someone on the scene that her husband had been in a car accident and had a few scrapes and bruises, and was taken to Morganton ED. The wife took her time getting to the ED, after hearing he was okay. Unfortunately, the patient went into cardiac arrest in radiology while getting x-rays. While the primary nurse and ED team were working with the patient the wife sat out in the lobby for quite some time. Sabrina finally went and got the wife and brought her to the grief room in the back of the ED and sat with her until the ED provider came in to give her an update on her husband. The wife was in shock. She was told that he was just a little "banged up". Then the provider had to share the news with her that he did not survive. There was no one else with her, their daughter was out of town and could not get to the ED. Sabrina sat with this patient during a very difficult time. After the patient stayed for a bit and was able to calm down, she was going to go home. The ED provider and Sabrina were very concerned about her driving herself home, they offered to pay for her a cab to get her home safely. The patient's wife stated she would be okay. She had shared where she lived and Sabrina happened to live very close to her, so she offered to follow her home and make sure she got there safely, and the patient's wife agreed. Sabrina followed her home and then checked on her days later and was able to meet her daughter. The patient's daughter was very appreciative of what Sabrina had done for her mother in such a difficult time.