My stepfather was a patient at HP. He came through the ED early in the morning and was admitted to MICU with severe sepsis. His care in the ICU was very good and he was transferred to 6 West. His nursing care was great but ultimately he chose to shop fighting his years-long batter with multiple medical issues including severe spinal stenosis, PVD, neuropathy, and multiple wounds on his back and feet that would not heal.

On Monday morning, I entered his room after not having seen him for 2 days and the fear and pain in his eyes were almost too much to bear. I asked about his night and his response was "my whole weekend was unbearable. I could not get pain relief and last night was the worst of it. The pain meds they are giving aren't helping. I didn't get any sleep and I can't get anything stronger, please help me." He also relayed that he wanted all care stopped and wanted to go to hospice. He was done fighting and just wanted it all to end.

His nurse was out at the desk. She informed me she had just medicated him with one oxy and was going to give him his IV morphine in 1/2 hour when it was due. I then went to charge nurse Jennifer and she listened to all I told her and then went to work to advocate for him like it was her own father. She called to get him made an AND and ask for better pain relief. The doctor changed his status to AND but didn't add any pain meds. Jennifer also called hospice and had someone up there by 0900. She was so supportive of me all morning as I constantly asked for help for him. She continued to call the doctor several times to get something stronger for pain and anxiety. The doctor finally ordered Dilaudid 1.5mg and Jennifer was there checking with me 1/2 hour after it was given and calling the doctor again because it had done nothing for his pain or anxiety.

She was also calling palliative care to put in some orders to give him relief and asking for an IV drip. But palliative care knew was choosing hospice so they chose not to order any meds for him. He had a pick-up time of 1230 to go to hospice. Jennifer called the doctor one more time at 1100 to ask for another dose of pain meds and a stronger antianxiety just before pick up so he wouldn't have severe pain when they moved him onto the stretcher and for the ride to hospice. Jennifer was relentless in advocating for him and in her support of me and my Mom. I know that she was helping me at first because I am a co-worker. But I also know the compassion and empathy she shed us and my stepfather that day was genuine and she would advocate for any and all of her patients and families that way. She was just as angry and disheartened as I was by the failure of healthcare and the lack of comfort measures that were ordered for my stepfather even though he had chosen to be an AND and was in excruciating and constant pain and was begging for help to relieve it. That was a horrible day for me and my family but Jennifer made it better by doing all she could to advocate for him. She's an amazing RN and Lee Health HealthPark is truly lucky to have her.