There was a 30-year-old patient who had been in a bad accident and not doing well.  On this day the patient coded, and everybody on the unit was trying to help save him. The Mom and Dad were outside of his room crying. They performed CPR for a long time but unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries. I totally remember that day, silence and sadness filled the unit. I told Ashley that he was Muslim, and they have a different culture concerning burial. They don’t bury with external fixators and open wounds. Ashley spoke with the parents, and they confirmed how important it was for them to follow their culture concerning burial for their son.

It is not our normal practice to remove the external fixator or close wounds on deceased patients. Ashley was on the phone for 6 hours and made more than 30 phone calls between the doctor in the OR and the funeral service. The doctor was busy in the OR and the funeral home needed to take transport the body. She got two doctors to remove the external fixator and close the patient’s wounds.

She was patient and advocated for the family. She went above and beyond her nursing job description. I remember that the parents hugged Ashley and through tears thanked her. They left this hospital grieved but relieved that their son was going to have a customary burial service. 

Ashley, you are an awesome nurse, please keep doing what you do best taking care of patients and their families.