Yara Nakouzi
February 2023
Yara
Nakouzi
,
BSN, RN
Home Care- Hospice
Hackensack University Medical Center
Hackensack
,
NJ
United States
She was able to sit with him in his fear and discomfort and address his concerns directly. She responded with such genuine care and compassion and didn’t shy away from a challenging conversation.
Yara is one of my grandfather R’s comfort care nurses. Prior to being put into comfort care, my grandfather had a five week stay in the hospital due to a stroke. One complication led to the next, and the decision was made for him to go into hospice. Yara has been one of his nurses since he started hospice. She has always provided the kindest and most compassionate care to my grandfather. Since starting hospice, my grandfather started making comments about God being upset with him for “giving up” and has expressed worry over God “not forgiving” him. I am not a religious person by any means and have been very unsure of how to respond to these remarks.
During a routine check-in with Yara, she asked my grandfather if he had any worries or concerns. He expressed his worries about God to her. The conversation that followed is one that I will forever hold close to my heart. Yara, so thoughtfully explained that it was not his fault for choosing to end care, that his body was not able to handle it anymore, and that this was the normal cycle of life. Yara asked my grandfather to think about times when his children or grandchildren made mistakes and asked if he had to forgive them or if he chose to forgive them. My grandfather responded that he chose to forgive them because he loves them. Yara replied that God does the same; he loves his people so much and will always forgive them. The peace that washed over my grandfather in that moment was palpable. She was able to sit with him in his fear and discomfort and address his concerns directly. She responded with such genuine care and compassion and didn’t shy away from a challenging conversation.
Ever since Yara had that conversation with him, he has not expressed any of those fears. To me, that clearly shows what a significant impact that conversation had on my grandfather. The only thing I can ask for during this time is for my grandfather to be granted a peaceful and dignified end of his life, and Yara has been a very significant part of that. Even though his medical complexities cannot be healed, Yara used her healing abilities to help heal my grandfather’s spiritual wounds. Anyone who has the experience of working with Yara is truly blessed.
Yara deserves to be recognized for her outstanding patient care. Yara- thank you, from the bottom of my heart. You are meant to be doing this work.
During a routine check-in with Yara, she asked my grandfather if he had any worries or concerns. He expressed his worries about God to her. The conversation that followed is one that I will forever hold close to my heart. Yara, so thoughtfully explained that it was not his fault for choosing to end care, that his body was not able to handle it anymore, and that this was the normal cycle of life. Yara asked my grandfather to think about times when his children or grandchildren made mistakes and asked if he had to forgive them or if he chose to forgive them. My grandfather responded that he chose to forgive them because he loves them. Yara replied that God does the same; he loves his people so much and will always forgive them. The peace that washed over my grandfather in that moment was palpable. She was able to sit with him in his fear and discomfort and address his concerns directly. She responded with such genuine care and compassion and didn’t shy away from a challenging conversation.
Ever since Yara had that conversation with him, he has not expressed any of those fears. To me, that clearly shows what a significant impact that conversation had on my grandfather. The only thing I can ask for during this time is for my grandfather to be granted a peaceful and dignified end of his life, and Yara has been a very significant part of that. Even though his medical complexities cannot be healed, Yara used her healing abilities to help heal my grandfather’s spiritual wounds. Anyone who has the experience of working with Yara is truly blessed.
Yara deserves to be recognized for her outstanding patient care. Yara- thank you, from the bottom of my heart. You are meant to be doing this work.