Rachel Mears
July 2014
Rachel
Mears
,
RN
Medical Oncology
SwedishAmerican Health System
Rockford
,
IL
United States

 

 

 

Rachel had a patient who was dying. She provided the patient with all the comfort and care that she could. She called Palliative Care to see the patient. When they were unable to come, she stayed with him, keeping him relaxed and as comfortable as possible until he finally passed away.

She sat in a patient's room and held his hand while he was dying because he had no family with him. He was very uncomfortable and could hardly breathe. He had a bipap mask on, but only wanted to hold it on his face so she held it for him. When his family/friends called him, she held the phone to his ear so that they could say goodbye to him. Even when it was the end of her shift, she stayed with him, holding his hand, phone and mask; keeping him calm so that he could die in peace.