08/16/2021
For all to read....
•Time• the sedative was given
•Time• the paralytic was given
•Time• the patient was intubated
•Time• their central line was placed
•Time• their arterial line was placed
•Time• their Vas Cath was placed
•Time• CRRT initiated
•Time• the patient was proned
•Time• the ABG was drawn
•Time• the family was notified
•Time• the zoom meeting was set for
•Time• the family said their goodbyes
•Time• of death
That was someone’s mother, father, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, friend, spouse.
That was their •time• to go. And I feel confident in saying the virus made it too soon.
I’ve stood outside a patient room with clasped hands, giving a thumbs up to a patient through a window as they were being extubated. Moments before:
“Stay calm. The respiratory therapist is going to take this breathing tube out, okay? I need you to nod your head so I know you understand me. I know, don’t try to talk. You’re doing great.”
I've taught patients to call when they were ready to be intubated. Days of being on the BiPAP on 100% oxygen can only be effective for so long. They get tired.
“I can’t breathe.”
“Okay, let me call the doctor and get everything ready.”
“Tell my kids I love them.”
“Tell them yourself we are calling them before this happens.”
“Please make sure I come off the ventilator.”
“Listen to me, you fight like heck, okay?”
“How am I supposed to fight when I’ll be asleep?”
“You just have to go into this knowing you want to fight. You will never be alone. We will fight this with you.”
To: Nurses, Doctors, Nurse Practitioners, Respiratory Therapists, Pharmacists, CNAs, PCTs, Phlebotomists, Rad and CT techs, and anyone else I missed,
How many times do we go home holding on to any bit of hope that what we are doing is making a difference for these patients?
We’ll spend 14 hours with hypoxia and hypotension, go home, and come back only to find out the patient didn’t make it.
All those times we felt like we weren’t doing anything for these patients - Your chance is here.
If you have even the SLIGHTEST bit of opportunity to prevent getting this virus and giving it to others - Take it.
Do it for the patients you lost. For some, you were the last person they talked to. The last hand they held.
•Time• 1118
That’s the •time• I received the Covid-19 vaccine today.
Jenifer, RN
Stormont Vail Health
to make a difference
is for my patients
Day 1 of COVID-19 vaccine
