This story involves a patient with Guillian-Barré Syndrome. This Veteran had expressed his wishes to avoid unnecessary efforts to resuscitate him. He did not want to be on the ventilator but agreed after he was told that his disease process is usually reversible. He made it clear he did not want to “live on machines” long term.
After several weeks in the unit with very little progress, Ann and Jennifer began working with the patient to find a better way to communicate with the staff and his family. The simple communication for essential needs like pain had already been established.
Jennifer worked with occupational therapy to develop a board that the patient could communicate with through eye movements only. Ann and Jennifer took the time and patiently worked with this man and his family until he could communicate that he was ready to be removed from the ventilator.
His family had time to gather and say their goodbyes and he was allowed to die peacefully according to his wishes. His family was spared the burden of making that final decision without his input.