Cancer Diagnosis in the ED

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Specializes in ED.

I have been an emergency room nurse for two years. In the last two weeks I have had three young women diagnosed with cancer while in my care. I find myself lost for words when approaching these distraught families. I want to be able to show my compassion but feel like I have nothing to give these patients. Has anyone had any positive experiences in this regard?

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Honestly, sometimes there is nothing you can do but be there with them in the moment and try to ease their pain. There really are moments when there's nothing you can do or say that will make things any better, so your best bet is to just be present with them. Take it from an oncology nurse.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

Cancer survivor here. There is really nothing you can say or do to make the diagnosis easier for someone, but there's a lot you can do that would make it more difficult. (Not that you would.) The first time, I was shellshocked, the third time I was trying very hard to make it easier on the radiologist who had to tell me I had cancer. just being present is good advice.

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Please for the love of pickles don't doomsday them. I'm a nurse and last summer 2013 we rushed Mom to the ER. Thought she overdosed on iron. Yes, iron! The NP told her to double up on iron she was taking 900mg a day. She was in pain. Come to find out she had Stage IV uterine cancer. Nurse came in said, " I guess we need to sign you up for palliative care." I hit the effing roof. We sent Mom to SHANDS in Fl. She is doing so much better. The cancer cells are shrinking. Please don't say something stupid like that. Please!!!

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Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.
"I guess we need to sign you up for palliative care."

I hope you reported that SOB, not shortness of breath!! They would have had to call a code grey on me :mad:

Sent from my iPad using allnurses

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Specializes in Emergency.

After a pt and/or family gets a mind numbing diagnosis, I give them about 15-30 minutes, then go in and ask if they have any questions. Usually by that point they have a lot. Answer what I can within my scope and get the doc back in to answer the rest.

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I went nuts on that heifer. I didn't work at that hospital, so all was well. Mom kept telling me to act like the Christian I was raised to be. I told her the the Lord was indeed working on me because I didn't waylay her.

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