Spiritual Care Practices
Mitchell, Andrea. (2011), Focusing on mind, body, and spirit while caring for patients and their families. Critical Care Nurse, (31), 69-70.
How did the transport nurse manage the patient's physical needs?
What is so extraordinary about the story of the transport nurse, as related in Mitchell (2011) is the degree to which the nurse, even while dealing with the emotionally-fraught situation of a critically ill patient going to view the body of his dead wife, was able to be mindful of Mr. L's physical needs. For the journey, the patient Mr. L was initially switched to a travel ventilator. However, when he did not tolerate this, the nurse suggested a manual resuscitation bag instead, although the travel ventilator was still brought along during the transport. The transport nurse carefully monitored the patient throughout the visitation. During the ceremony at the chapel where his wife's body was present, the transport nurse suctioned Mr. L when it...
How did the transport nurse manage the patient's spiritual needs?
As Mr. L viewed his wife, the nurse asked about the life he had spent with Mrs. L. She asked the family if they would like to say a prayer, and after the pastor officiated, the nurse began a "life review" of Mr. L and all of the other family members. This humanized the experience, despite the presence of the nurse and medical equipment, and provided the family with a positive sense of closure. When it was uncertain how to proceed, such as when the nurse was unsure if Mr. L wanted to touch his wife or kiss his wife good-bye, the nurse always asked first if this is what he desired, to increase his comfort level.
Q3. List the different departments involved with achieving this project.
The critical care intrahospital transport unit (SWAT unit), the burn unit, the general nurse and assistant specifically assigned to help treat Mr. L, the pastoral department, and the…
