A reminder to ALWAYS listen to your patients.

macspuds · Nov 21, 2004

You are all right.

As an "old war horse" nurse, I have seen this time and again.

If a patient or resident tells you this, they mean it.

Also for those non verbal patients, if they are constantly gazing upward, they are seeing someone. Body lang is important as well.

It is the sensitive nurse who monitors this.

Your CNAs are the best judge as well. They are with the patient often on a closer relationship than we are.

macspuds

debj1 · Nov 21, 2004

A patient not only tells you if their going to die, sometimes they say I'm going home. I've worked in geriatrics for 24 years, and I love my work. When a patient tells you something, you need to listen very carefully, and sometimes what they mean can be hidden behind confusion. I have been there for death, more times then I like to count, but it's part of my job and I have to deal with it. Sometimes it's hard when you get attached to your patients, and they tell you of impending death, you don't want to listen to them, you don't want to see them go, but deep down you know their suffering will be over and usually their ready. So if someone looks up and says " I'm going to die tonight, or I'm going home tonight, or I won't be seeing you any more." Believe them!

Pattiecake · Nov 22, 2004

many years ago I had a 37 yr old lady who was admitted for a chole. She was all nervous. Afraid she would die on the table, who would take care of her 3 young children and husband. I reassured her and told her chole's are done several times a day. I insisted there was nothing to worry about. She signed the consent,and went to surgery. She coded on the table, but did not die. She ended up in a vegetative state. I have always felt guilty about that. Ever since then I tell my patients that whatever decision they make, I will support them. Whatever decision they make is the right one for them at the time.

Nursingangel · Nov 23, 2004

I have not had the honor of being with a patent as a nurse when they die but I can tell you what has happened to me with family and friends. A few days before my Grandpa pasted away he was in the hospital and really confused. At one point he through the telephone at his room mates family and was saying that the nurses had stolen his gun from under his pillow. Needlest to say they called my mom and I to come stay the night with him. My mom had been there all day so I told her that I would go and stay that night. My grandpa calmed down as soon as I got there and started to pray, Jesus, Jesus, I am ready over and over again. I was sitting in the bedside chair reading a book and all of a sudden I got the most peacefull feeling and could since that my Grandmother was in the room I looked over at my Grandpa and for the frist time in hours his eyes where focused and he was looking at my Grandmother just above his bed. He then said, "but omie, my grandmothers name was oma but you know who we are in the south we always add something to a name, I don't want to wait I want to go home now!!!" Then he got still and was lisining to something she said and he said, "Well Ok I'll be waitting" He than began saing I'm waiting, I'm waiting over and over. I had tears rolling down my face and had no dought that my grandmother was in that room with us that night. It was one of the most bueatifull moments of my life. I came home the next night and told my mom what had happened and told her to be rpeparied that it would not long. Later that day my grandpa got a little better and was with it enough that my mom asked him if her remimbered Grandmother coming to see him last night and she said that he smiled the most bueatifull smile she had ever seen and told her that my grandmother told him that it was not time for him to go home yet but that she would come back to get him soon. Two weeks, to the day, later we got the call and he was gone. I have no dought that she came for him to lead him home.

Also, I had a dear friend that was like a grandmother to that told me that one day she had laid down to take her daily nap and suddly heared someone come in the back door. She said that at frist she was scared because she lived alone and had the back door locked. When she sat up she saw her husban that had been dead for 5 yrs, and he asked her what was for lunch.He allways came home for lunch and a nap every afternoon while he was alive. As I was sitting there lisining to her I happen to have glanced at the alter and saw a beautifull pink casket there and just new that it was hers. I burst into tears because right then I knew that it would not be long until she went home. Two weeks to the day later we found out that she had died, and guess what she was placed in the exact casket that I saw that day.

I also had a uncle that waited for my mom and grandfather to get there before he past. He died the secound that they walked in the room and spoke to my aunt and cousans.

I am a phelbtomist and during my clinicals I was getting blood cultures on a man that had already coded twice that night and was really dead already. you could just tell that eventhough he had a pulse, although light, his spirt was already gone. So as I was sticking him I said a sileant prayer that the Lord would take his body and stop his suffering. As soon as I said amen He flat lined. They were not able to bring him back this time. I could not help but think Lord I did not mean right that secound when I had a needle in his arm. Needlest to say I don't pray that way anymore. You have to be very detailed when you pray.

After hearing all of the stories her on the thread I don't know how anyone could not belive in God.

macspuds · Nov 23, 2004

:)

I have not had the honor of being with a patent as a nurse when they die but I can tell you what has happened to me with family and friends. A few days before my Grandpa pasted away he was in the hospital and really confused. At one point he through the telephone at his room mates family and was saying that the nurses had stolen his gun from under his pillow. Needlest to say they called my mom and I to come stay the night with him. My mom had been there all day so I told her that I would go and stay that night. My grandpa calmed down as soon as I got there and started to pray, Jesus, Jesus, I am ready over and over again. I was sitting in the bedside chair reading a book and all of a sudden I got the most peacefull feeling and could since that my Grandmother was in the room I looked over at my Grandpa and for the frist time in hours his eyes where focused and he was looking at my Grandmother just above his bed. He then said, "but omie, my grandmothers name was oma but you know who we are in the south we always add something to a name, I don't want to wait I want to go home now!!!" Then he got still and was lisining to something she said and he said, "Well Ok I'll be waitting" He than began saing I'm waiting, I'm waiting over and over. I had tears rolling down my face and had no dought that my grandmother was in that room with us that night. It was one of the most bueatifull moments of my life. I came home the next night and told my mom what had happened and told her to be rpeparied that it would not long. Later that day my grandpa got a little better and was with it enough that my mom asked him if her remimbered Grandmother coming to see him last night and she said that he smiled the most bueatifull smile she had ever seen and told her that my grandmother told him that it was not time for him to go home yet but that she would come back to get him soon. Two weeks, to the day, later we got the call and he was gone. I have no dought that she came for him to lead him home.
Also, I had a dear friend that was like a grandmother to that told me that one day she had laid down to take her daily nap and suddly heared someone come in the back door. She said that at frist she was scared because she lived alone and had the back door locked. When she sat up she saw her husban that had been dead for 5 yrs, and he asked her what was for lunch.He allways came home for lunch and a nap every afternoon while he was alive. As I was sitting there lisining to her I happen to have glanced at the alter and saw a beautifull pink casket there and just new that it was hers. I burst into tears because right then I knew that it would not be long until she went home. Two weeks to the day later we found out that she had died, and guess what she was placed in the exact casket that I saw that day.
I also had a uncle that waited for my mom and grandfather to get there before he past. He died the secound that they walked in the room and spoke to my aunt and cousans.
I am a phelbtomist and during my clinicals I was getting blood cultures on a man that had already coded twice that night and was really dead already. you could just tell that eventhough he had a pulse, although light, his spirt was already gone. So as I was sticking him I said a sileant prayer that the Lord would take his body and stop his suffering. As soon as I said amen He flat lined. They were not able to bring him back this time. I could not help but think Lord I did not mean right that secound when I had a needle in his arm. Needlest to say I don't pray that way anymore. You have to be very detailed when you pray.
After hearing all of the stories her on the thread I don't know how anyone could not belive in God.

macspuds · Nov 23, 2004

To a very special Nurse in waiting only.

You have a lovely attitude. I may not have much PC ability, but you will soon realize how special that little Gift that you have is.

Yes, there is a Great one and you have a Great gift of feeling. I have also been blessed by this.

Thank you so much for sharing.

macspuds

realnut 69 · Nov 23, 2004

I believe that pts do know when they are going, especially the hospice pts. I had one lady with CA, not (supposedly) near checkout time,, who did this. The CNA leaving said something like "Well, I wont be back to Monday, so take care and Laura will be in my place" The pt said (hugging the CNA) "Thank you for all you've done, but I wont be needing you by then. Im leaving 8:00 Saturday night". We were all shocked. as she was still ambulatory and beating me at Scrabble (former English teacher, LOL). Two days later, it was Saturday and the on-call scheduling coordinator called me as I was getting ready to go to work. I said "Mrs B just passed, didnt she?" She did, within a few minutes of 8:00.
Laura

I do believe that patients know when they are going to die. My mother passed away 3 years ago from cancer. During her last few days, she told me and my brother that Jesus told her she would not be leaving until next Wednesday. She also stated that 3 people were ahead of her to die as per Jesus. My mother did pass away the following Wednesday around noon.

VizslaMom · Nov 24, 2004

After hearing all of the stories her on the thread I don't know how anyone could not belive in God.

I agree. Personally, I don't have a strong faith myself....or didn't, I should say. Working in the ICU and seeing some of the 'strange occurances' have really opened my eyes that a Higher Power is involved. I work weekend nights and don't attend church for that reason. If my schedule ever changes, I think I'll definately be going back.

One of my co-workers experienced a relative passing away at a young age recently. The relative was dying of CA. During the week before her passing, she told her sister (my co-worker's mother) that she wanted it to be "friday at 8:00(PM)". According to my co-worker, a rainbow appeared close to the hospital at about 6:00PM that friday. This signaled the mother of my co-worker that something was going to happen and they rushed to the hospital. Her relative passed away at 7:30PM that night. The very next friday, a week after the relative's passing, a rainbow re-appeared in the same spot at the same time as before. My co-worker believes that this is a sign from her relative that she is OK.

How cool is that?