At certain times, the universe gives patients the perfect nurse at the perfect time. Recently, a well-known and beloved 4B patient came back to us from a higher level of care. A couple of days later, Andrea was assigned to her.

Andrea sat down with her and got real about the extreme differences in how people die. As a nurse and a human, she discussed the realities of this patient’s status. This patient ultimately decided she’d fought long and hard, and she couldn’t do it anymore and chose comfort.

Unfortunately, not everyone on the patient’s care team felt the same way. Andrea did what any good nurse would do – fight to have the patient’s desires to be heard and honored. Because of Andrea’s dedication to nursing and belief in patient autonomy, this patient died pain free and surrounded by more love and people anyone thought a hospital room could hold.

It was a death any of us could hope for. In our society, it takes courage, strength, and great compassion to get real with a patient about the end of life and operate with the idea that mercy is equal to remission.

Andrea was the perfect nurse at the perfect time for that patient. No one else could have done what she did, in the way that she did it for that patient and family. I am honored to call her a friend and coworker.