Recently, I responded to a code blue in the ER. I never know what I'm walking into when the pager goes off. I walked into the room where the patient was, everything seemed "normal" for a code. The staff was busy caring for the patient, doing the work they do. Suddenly outside the room a colleague was frantically wanting to enter. I had to restrain this person. That is when I heard who the patient was.
One look confirmed the patient was one of our own...I knew the patient. This is not the first time this has happened over the years, and it wont be the last. The patient was young, vibrant, with young children. I spent hours with family, several coworkers, and doctors came by. This community pulls together and supports one another in the moment of need yet,we must put off dealing with our own issues. After all its the ER, there is always the next patient who needs us. The hardest was helping family try to explain to the children why "mommy wont wake up"
The Hospital had a memorial service in the chapel, and did a Critical Incidence debriefing as well. Its seems like everything should stop, at least pause for a moment to reflect. The reality is life keeps moving and we keep moving with it. Yet circumstance and our body and spirit demands we pay attention to our emotions, our health, our spirit. If not how can we be there for others?
In memoriam.
Purple Echoes
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Saddled with an unfortunate clunker of a name, these Ranunculus deserve a
better title, or maybe we just need to embrace the beauty of all names.
These flo...
5 hours ago
3 comments:
It's even tougher when it's someone we know. We can't keep the same cool (and appropriate) detachment. Prayers ascend.
Your training covers all aspects of the crisis, and yet there is no way to train for experiencing the death of someone you know. All you can do is do the job, and find a way outside the job to release the anger and pain of loss. An outlet. And to hold onto your faith and belief system.
Your training covers all the functions of dealing with the crisis at hand. You do the job by the book, and you get everyone through the crisis, as is your job. Afterwards you are left to deal with the reality of the crisis, to find an outlet to release the anger and pain, and to hang on to your faith and belief system. This is the nature of your path. It is a difficult time, but you will deal.
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