An important task for Healthy Survivors is helping your doctors and nurses get to know you -- the one and only "you."
Physicians were trying to determine how aggressive they should be in the care of Mary, an elderly, demented, anemic woman. "Shuttling "between nursing home and hospital....She may have preferred to stay put, but no one knew for sure: as a person with dementia, she was presumably unable to speak for herself...Only she knew whether she wanted to prolong her existence and, if so, how."
The author, palliative care nurse practitioner Peg Ackerman, illustrates how making the effort to learn about Mary's past and current life uncovers the key to prescribing treatment in keeping with the patient's values and current wishes.
In doing so, Nurse Ackerman facilitated a hero's death. I hope you take a minute to read her short story: Return of the Hero and ask yourself, "Do my physicians really know who I am?"
What an incredibly beautiful story -- honoring the entire human being. I wish every doctor, nurse, and patient in the country would read this. Very moving. I am touched. Thank you for sharing this.
Posted by: Barbara Christenson | June 26, 2013 at 09:06 AM