Patient Death Experience.

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I love to hear stories of memorable patient deaths. Sometimes it's just eerily cool to watch the process unfold (not to be a creep about it). Im still a nursing student so I only have 1 experience so far. Patient had stage 4 cancer with mets to the liver, brain, and a completely occluded left lung. Patient was a super goner, but family was in complete denial and believed she would "pull through." Patient finally expired during one of my clinical rotation and I felt SO relieved for her. Such a crappy way to leave this world. Thats all I got so far..

Please, share a memorable patient death experience that you have had.

Specializes in L&D.

I do understand where some of you are coming from. Your comments dont irritate me because I know your emotions are inspired by your own personal experiences. I get that. Cool. Just to clarify, I dont get off on people dying. It is not, never has been, or never will be my intention to do something so evil and depraved as to delay the dying process of a patient or be an "Angel of Death" for my own personal pleasure. THATS creepy. I am fascinated with the dying process because.. well, I JUST AM. I think its a privelage to be able to provide service to a person on the brink of death as one of the last acts of kindness that they will experience in this earthly realm. That doesn't make me crazy. I think its safe to say that we all knew someone who has died. Death is a very natural part of life so I embrace it.

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I think its safe to say that we all knew someone who has died. Death is a very natural part of life so I embrace it.

But most people haven't actually watch someone as they lie dying. Big difference than knowing someone who has died.:rolleyes:

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

I sat next to my father as he tragically took his last breaths. I was there as the young RN afraid to pronounce death tortured my mother by doing one last test. Well the pulse ox still has a reading so he might not be dead yet as he turned blue (he was DNR/DNH/DNI at that point). The hospice nurse frustrated that this facility prohibited her from pronouncing death. I got my mom to leave the room to call my siblings. I took the pulse ox probe and attached it to the railing of the bed. My dad was giving a SpO2 of 65%. The bed rail read 72%. "Please call time of death now. He's been apneic and pulseless since 6:42 this morning. Rigor is setting in. You are torturing my mother. " I pleaded. Finally she pronounced at 9:38AM.

Worst Sunday morning of my life. I understand the new RN was pronouncing for the first time, but my dad was hospice. This nurse made poor choices and made what could have been a peaceful death into a tragic and heart wrenching scenario. My mom was ready at 6:42AM. This nurse made her question her decision to place her husband in hospice.

I hope his death haunts that nurse to this day and forever in the future.

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Specializes in L&D.
Bea, while your word choices can be interpreted as incorrect, I don't feel that you intend any disrespect. I think you're new to such things and expressing excitement over what you're experiencing. Every new experience has the potential to be mind-boggling, and being with someone who is going through the death process is one of the most boggling.

My first experience was as a nursing student who worked in a hospital on weekends. They had jobs for nursing students there. One moment the man was breathing gently and his vitals were barely there. The next he was gone. The nurse who helped me prepare the man's body so his family could come in to be with him said she sometimes felt the spirit whoosh out of a patient's body during death. I've never had that experience, but I think it would be wonderful to feel such closeness to someone/God/the universe.

I worked hospice awhile. I still think being with someone who is dying is an honor, privilege, and one of the most spiritual things a person can experience...

Thank you so much for this. I really appreciate you taking the time to write. Everything is so new and exciting and I look forward to learning as much as I can from my surroundings. I was there in the last moments of my Grandfather's death and when his time finally came, I could sense a feeling of peace overcome the room. I believe that was him being relieved of his earthly duties and I was able to accept this moment with grace. As sad as I was that he was leaving, I was happy to feel like HE was happy. Thanks again for posting. It's people like you....

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Specializes in L&D.
I sat next to my father as he tragically took his last breaths. I was there as the young RN afraid to pronounce death tortured my mother by doing one last test. Well the pulse ox still has a reading so he might not be dead yet as he turned blue (he was DNR/DNH/DNI at that point). The hospice nurse frustrated that this facility prohibited her from pronouncing death. I got my mom to leave the room to call my siblings. I took the pulse ox probe and attached it to the railing of the bed. My dad was giving a SpO2 of 65%. The bed rail read 72%. "Please call time of death now. He's been apneic and pulseless since 6:42 this morning. Rigor is setting in. You are torturing my mother. " I pleaded. Finally she pronounced at 9:38AM.

Worst Sunday morning of my life. I understand the new RN was pronouncing for the first time, but my dad was hospice. This nurse made poor choices and made what could have been a peaceful death into a tragic and heart wrenching scenario. My mom was ready at 6:42AM. This nurse made her question her decision to place her husband in hospice.

I hope his death haunts that nurse to this day and forever in the future.

I am SO sorry that this happened to you and your family. I can totally understand why you would feel this nurse has robbed your father, your family, and you of a positive death experience. I pray that I never make this mistake with someone's loved one. Thank you for this. I hope you and your family have since found peace.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
I am SO sorry that this happened to you and your family. I can totally understand why you would feel this nurse has robbed your father, your family, and you of a positive death experience. I pray that I never make this mistake with someone's loved one. Thank you for this. I hope you and your family have since found peace.

That's why your choice of words in the start of this thread feel so insulting and thoughtless. Your words seem to make death into a spectator sport akin to watching late night TV drama or a horror film. Tone cannot be communicated through text online. You sound like a college student watching a fatal accident occur in front of them full of awe. Something to think about as you move forward.

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Specializes in Hospice.
I sat next to my father as he tragically took his last breaths. I was there as the young RN afraid to pronounce death tortured my mother by doing one last test. Well the pulse ox still has a reading so he might not be dead yet as he turned blue (he was DNR/DNH/DNI at that point). The hospice nurse frustrated that this facility prohibited her from pronouncing death. I got my mom to leave the room to call my siblings. I took the pulse ox probe and attached it to the railing of the bed. My dad was giving a SpO2 of 65%. The bed rail read 72%. "Please call time of death now. He's been apneic and pulseless since 6:42 this morning. Rigor is setting in. You are torturing my mother. " I pleaded. Finally she pronounced at 9:38AM.

Worst Sunday morning of my life. I understand the new RN was pronouncing for the first time, but my dad was hospice. This nurse made poor choices and made what could have been a peaceful death into a tragic and heart wrenching scenario. My mom was ready at 6:42AM. This nurse made her question her decision to place her husband in hospice.

I hope his death haunts that nurse to this day and forever in the future.

She made you and your mom wait for 3 hours? Oh, Just, I am so sorry.

So many questions how this was allowed to happen. But that won't bring your dad back, and those aren't the memories you want to relive, either.

I hope you were able to get the support from Hospice both of you so sorely needed. My heart goes out to you. (((((Hugs)))))

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
She made you and your mom wait for 3 hours? Oh, Just, I am so sorry.

So many questions how this was allowed to happen. But that won't bring your dad back, and those aren't the memories you want to relive, either.

I hope you were able to get the support from Hospice both of you so sorely needed. My heart goes out to you. (((((Hugs)))))

I will never forget her face.

The hospice nurse's hands were tied because of facility policy. She mouthed thank you when I intervened in exasperation. Calling administration only would have extended the delay. Needless to say the attending physician was NOT pleased. This was the year before I entered nursing school but I knew enough.

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Specializes in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.

I had the unusual experience of being assigned to a pt who was going to have organs harvested later on (because of that I will decline stating any other details). I am also just a student so just getting to be in the room and go over ICU basics well in advance of my CC rotation with the awesome nurse was just amazing/exciting/inspiring/life affirming. It was a terribly sad but incredible experience and I enjoyed every minute of it in spite of the tears.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
That's why your choice of words in the start of this thread feel so insulting and thoughtless. Your words seem to make death into a spectator sport akin to watching late night TV drama or a horror film. Tone cannot be communicated through text online. You sound like a college student watching a fatal accident occur in front of them full of awe. Something to think about as you move forward.

I have cancer. A bad kind. (As if there's a "good cancer," but some do have a better prognosis.) Sometimes I read things on this site that are disturbing to me, as someone who will most likely not survive my parents. I don't want someone taking care of me who has a morbid curiosity over death. I won't need that, and I am sure my parents won't either. They would probably never speak up about it, but I know it would bother them tremendously.

I can assure you if anything happens to one of my parents and the nurse has that train wreck mentality, that nurse will be escorted none too gently out of the room. I may not walk very good anymore, but I can swing a cane like the "Sultan of Swat" could swing a bat.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
I have cancer. A bad kind. (As if there's a "good cancer," but some do have a better prognosis.) Sometimes I read things on this site that are disturbing to me, as someone who will most likely not survive my parents. I don't want someone taking care of me who has a morbid curiosity over death. I won't need that, and I am sure my parents won't either. They would probably never speak up about it, but I know it would bother them tremendously.

I can assure you if anything happens to one of my parents and the nurse has that train wreck mentality, that nurse will be escorted none too gently out of the room. I may not walk very good anymore, but I can swing a cane like the "Sultan of Swat" could swing a bat.

I was in utter shock as my fathers body lay there rigor setting in. However I will do everything in my power so that I will never witness such a scenario again whether the affected is someone I know or not.

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I have not been with someone as they took their last breath but I have been with many patients and had them pass away later that day or a few hours later. The most memorable one for me has to be the last day working as a nursing assistant in LTC. I knew this patient for about a year. I went into his room with the nurse and I knew he was dying. His breathing was different, he was very hot, he wasn't talkative (as he normally was). I felt my heart skip a few beats because I came to really know this patient. I saw him get put on hospice and didn't think it would be that fast. An hour or two later he did pass away and I saw his body. I had guilt that I wasn't in there holding his hand. I felt sad because he was alone. The nurse did keep going in every 10-15 minutes, he just passed when no one was in the room.

I also had a patient pass away a few hours after I left my shift as a CNA. This patient kept telling me they were cold and that they loved me. I kept giving the patient blankets and stuff for comfort. The patient's whole family was there that day. I did not expect the patient to pass so quick, you couldn't tell the patient was actively dying.

In nursing school I took a patient down to the morgue, that was a different experience. I am happy I got to experience it. The CNA I was with showed me and a few of my classmates how to do postmortem care. As we closed the door in the morgue the CNA said "this is the hard part, this is when I know I am done doing everything I could have done for the patient," that touched me. I remember when we were cleaning the patient after they died there was a bunch of drawings on the wall from the grandchildren. I started to think about the family and loved ones and what the patient's life was like.

I have not experienced death as a nurse yet. I remember my first semester of nursing school and telling my nursing instructor how afraid I was to encounter a dying/dead patient. She told me to think of it as an important part of someone's life. She said that seeing a patient pass away is like seeing a patient enter this world. She said that we are with them when they are leaving the world and taking the next step. I have never been scared to encounter death of a patient after what she said. It really is a beautiful thing to be there with someone's loved one as they're taking their last breath. In reality death is a normal part of life and we should consider ourselves lucky that we can give care to someone's loved one during that time.

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