Following a high-risk valve replacement surgery, a patient experienced countless complications ranging from hemorrhagic shock, kidney failure, shock liver, septic shock and respiratory failure. The patient was trached and on CVVHD during this time. Once he became aware of the events of his ICU stay, he started becoming very withdrawn and depressed. His wife tried numerous things to cheer him up and the ICU team also tried pharmacological approaches. Eventually, the patient transitioned to hemodialysis and was trach-collaring 16 hours each day. The patient even receiveda speaking valve from speech therapy and walked ten steps out of his ICU room with physical therapy for the first time. The patient continued to be withdrawn and only spoke when he needed the commode. Robyn tried engaging the patient during his daily baths and spent extra timein his room to do extra tasks in order to spend more time with him while his wife wasn't there. None of it seemed to matter.
On Robyn's fourth shift with this patient, she saw that it was his birthday and got approval from the ICU team and his wife to take him outside in a wheelchair to the green space on campus. She arranged for the dialysis nurse to do an afternoon treatment so that they could go on an adventure before he was ticketed out of dialysis. One of the student nurse techs helped Robyn load his oxygen and monitor, and then covered him head to toe in warm blankets. His wife was so excited that she recorded a video on her phone. The student and Robyn took turns holding the monitor and pushing the patient in the wheelchair. They had almost made a whole lap around the park when Robyn mentioned that it was time to go back inside. The patient asked if they could please sit there for five more minutes because he missed the sunshine. Robyn wanted to jump for joy! His wife began taking photos to send to family members and even asked that Robyn be in one of them. When it was finally time to go inside, Robyn made surethe patient'sHappy Birthday pin was visiblewith all the blankets. He received no less than 10 happy birthday wishes and the staff even sang to him. Robyn said she may have gotten a little behind on charting, but seeing this patient with a smile on his face, enjoying the warm sunshine was more than worth it!