End of Life Experience

[MN-Nurse]

A nurse from my graduating class sent me this:

"Was talking with a pt about the dying process and what he will be going through. After many tears together, I told him I would be sure to say goodnight before I left.

When I came in, as promised, he held my hand tightly and said, "I do not know you but the part of you I got to know tonight, I love. He cried again, I gave him a hug and as he kissed my cheek he tenderly whispered, "Goodbye, I will see you again someday".

I will never forget my patients."

This is what I think of when I think of spirituality and nursing.

[tewdles, RN]

A nurse from my graduating class sent me this:

"Was talking with a pt about the dying process and what he will be going through. After many tears together, I told him I would be sure to say goodnight before I left.

When I came in, as promised, he held my hand tightly and said, "I do not know you but the part of you I got to know tonight, I love. He cried again, I gave him a hug and as he kissed my cheek he tenderly whispered, "Goodbye, I will see you again someday".

I will never forget my patients."

This is what I think of when I think of spirituality and nursing.

It is imperative that we treat our patients with unconditional regard. For the person who desires to speak about their death and the process(es) they may experience, by all means be "in the moment" with them and provide them honest and factual information.

It is important for many people to know that their death has meaning to others, even those outside of their family and friends. It is, therefore, therapeutic for them to realize that we are not immune from that anticipatory grief ourselves. A few moist eyes and tear jerked voices are forgiven. What is equally important is that we maintain excellent boundaries so that the patient/family does not feel a need to comfort us, and so that we can continue to provide care to a population that, above all else, dies.

To all of you planning your death bed care, I would recommend that you reconsider the "IV fluids" portion of your plan. In the hospice world IV fluids are generally not recommended and too often are the cause of troubling symptoms during the terminal phase.

[leslie :-D]

To all of you planning your death bed care, I would recommend that you reconsider the "IV fluids" portion of your plan. In the hospice world IV fluids are generally not recommended and too often are the cause of troubling symptoms during the terminal phase.

the above bears repeating and emphasis.

dying folks are not hungry or thirsty.

circulation and organs are shutting down.

what families see as compassionate care (feeding/hydrating) is usually a major cause of distress when dying.

(thanks, tewdles.)

leslie

[BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN]

Ok, but I still want the morphine rolling q4h, and was trying to save you the flush troubles- just bring a flush then.