I am a fellow RN of Erin's. In addition to the care and energy she brings every day, I want to call out one particular day; I had a patient with who I had developed a relationship with, and who had invited me to provide moral support with her and her family as she did Death with Dignity. Despite great heartache, I ended up not being able to fulfill this obligation due to becoming ill, and staffing was insufficient for hospice to spare a nurse for the hours this type of visit takes on the day the family planned.
The family was understandably upset. And compounding their pain; End of Life Washington is not sending volunteers out due to COVID-19. They tried on their own. Then the patient was unable to complete the process - she became unconscious midway through taking the medication. The family called hospice again requesting a nurse because they were at a loss as to what to do and beside themselves. Erin ended up being sent out and found herself in a service recovery situation for a DWD gone sideways for a patient she did not know mid-crisis.
Even with phone support, hospice nurses are really alone, out there in the community. I want to call out the calm and strength of character Erin brought to witness that trauma and grief and provide comfort for the family-like one little isolated light out there in the midst of their darkness and pain and the horror of the situation. This is the type of thing that no one can make okay. It is terribly hard, and lonely for any nurse. I want to honor, and I want Evergreen to honor Erin for doing this work every day, but especially this day.