No One Dies Alone (NODA) Program

AnnaN5 · Oct 31, 2009

Our hospital has this program as well.

misplaced1 · Oct 31, 2009

The very wonderful hospice nurses in our area have told me that it is common for people to wait until everyone exits the room, as in a bathroom break, to actually let themselves slip away. That however does not mean they want to be alone up until the point they are ready to pass although they may. It just means they want to pass alone. To many people death is a very personal, intimate thing. I love my hospice rotation and have thought about working there. I think the people that do this kind of work are teh most wonderful kindest people I have met. I felt so good when I left there in the evening but I tossed and turned almost every night I came home especially when I had someone that had pain that was not controllable. I could not sleep well that night and woke up a few times crying. BLess all of you with the emotional stamina to do the job and still function yourselves.

Dalzac, LPN, LVN, RN · Oct 31, 2009

Sounds like a good program to me I know I would want someone there but I am pretty sure all the ones who went before me will be there for me anyway

Batman24 · Oct 31, 2009

I LOVE this idea.

tewdles, RN · Oct 31, 2009

This is a growing practice, particularly in hospitals that have palliative care programs or that are closely associated with a hospice.

It is true that some people seem to prefer to die when there is no one in the room, however, we cannot necessarily know who those people are in advance. For that reason it is a compassionate and caring thing to sit with them and hold their hand, etc...

NODA are wonderful programs and the volunteers are often very blessed by their experiences.

TreehuggerRN · Oct 31, 2009

JMHO but I would prefer to be alone when my time comes. I know I'm not in the majority, and applaud the effort they are making to help their patients.

I believe I will prefer to be alone also.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Oct 31, 2009

I think this is a great thing (for those that want it) I just had my first experience with death in my clinicals. It was a bad week in the hospice unit that day as 4 patients passed and all were left by themselves and 2 of them I knew for sure did NOT want to be left alone. Us students tried taking turns sitting with them until post conference, they all later passed that evening, my one Pt. in particular had expressed to me her fear of being alone and it broke my heart when I had to leave that day.

SillyStudent, ASN, RN · Oct 31, 2009

I agree, great idea. I am glad that your facility finds it worthy enough to implement.

Having said that, I also believe that some dying patients hang on until everyone leaves the room. I saw it happen last night, again.

Dvan562 · Mar 2, 2010

Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach just rolled out their NODA program after 5 years in the making. They are starting with the Clinical Care Extenders that have already been at the hospital and their auxilliary volunteers. The training was amazing and there are about 30 of us that are starting this month. I believe that it will be so beneficial for many people that do not wish to die alone. While we were training there was a woman who was dying that expressed a desire for a volunteer to be with her as she died. Apparently, her children were so distraught over the impending death of their mother that they could not bear to be with her. We were all glad that someone was there...as death approaches, we are no longer strangers. We are just people caring for and being present for each other.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Mar 2, 2010

I just heard a local hospital was getting ready to set this in motion finally and I would love to volunteer.