August 2017
Karie
Dussel
,
RN
Total Joint Unit
Elkhart General Hospital
Elkhart
,
IN
United States
A patient had just come out of hip surgery and was back in her room. Her two sons let the nurse know that the patient's husband (their father) had just died. Karie acted as a team player and called the chaplain to help navigate the shocking news of the passing. Karie showed compassion and care for the patient by caring for her emotional and spiritual needs. She cared for the whole family but didn't simply "take over". I appreciated her friendliness in accepting me in the inner circle of care for the patient. It may have seemed to her that this was a small thing, but I think it meant the world to the patient who didn't expect her husband to die while she was at the hospital.