I have watched this team come together for critically ill patients offering care to both the patient and their grieving parents. The NICU recently received a critically ill neonate from an outlying facility. When the patient arrived here in our NICU many registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and physicians came together to provide immediate life saving measures for this patient. While the team poured their hearts and souls into this infant it was determined that despite all the medical interventions, medications and procedures this infant was not going to survive.
During this solemn moment within the patient’s room a nurse verbalized that this patient’s mother never got to hold her newborn. As the medical team began to remove machines and turn off monitors, this group of caring and compassionate individuals began creating keepsakes for this mother that will never be able to hold her baby. The team created footprints, dressed the baby in a very memorable and appropriate outfit, and pictures were taken to offer the parents some small sense of comfort. This team wanted the family to know that they truly did everything within their power for the patient and they also wanted the family to understand how compassionate and caring they are for every patient entrusted in their care. I stood in the patient’s doorway and watched these events unfold and in that moment I realized how lucky I am to be such a small part of such a wonderful team!