I was the Nursing Supervisor for the day shift this past weekend. Megan was on 3E on Saturday, but I had enough Tower staff to move her back to the CC side on Sunday. I don’t know why, but I placed her in a unit she does not usually work in. Maybe it was a brain lapse or divine intervention, but somehow Megan ended up exactly where she needed to be on Sunday.

Megan had a patient who had been slowly declining since the afternoon. This patient was Comfort Care/DNR with a strict POLST for no escalation of care. We collaborated with the provider and developed a plan to keep her comfortable, honor her POLST, and help her transition to true palliative care.

I received a call roughly 10 minutes before shift change, alerting me that Megan’s patient was now rapidly beginning her journey Home. The charge nurse and I quickly moved the patient to a private room in the Tower. Megan, who was about to finish working a 12-hour shift, volunteered to take this patient 1:1 and give her the dignified, comfortable passing this patient deserved.

Megan gave a report on her other patients, quickly called her spouse, and immediately went to work to get this patient ready to meet Jesus. She gently brushed the patient’s long brown hair and worked with two other nurses who came to say goodbye to braid her hair and paint her nails bright pink. Megan held the patient’s hand and told her how excited she was that this patient was about to run into the arms of her Creator.

Megan remained at this patient’s side until she took her last breath. She helped this patient feel comfortable and look absolutely beautiful. It was a peaceful, beautiful ending to witness.

Thank you, Megan, for staying, for caring, for holding this sweet girl’s hand until it was time to place her hand in Jesus’s.