Spiritual care in healthcare and wellness practices

Nursing and Spirituality

How did the transport nurse manage the patient's physical needs?

When the patient was moved to a stretcher he was placed on a travel ventilator and the transport and bedside nurse had to suction his secretions. But he did not appear to tolerate the other ventilator well so the transport nurse instead used the manual resuscitation bag for transport. Since the manual ventilation continued to go well it was used in place of the travel ventilator for the duration of the transport.

How did the transport nurse manage the spiritual needs?

The patient was placed close to his wife's casket so that he could easily see her. The nurse allowed the family time and space for themselves but stepped forward to offer guidance when needed, such as the offering of a prayer. Later a life review was begun that gave the entire family an opportunity to begin the grieving process. The stretcher was turned so that the family could have a picture of the patient and his wife together and finally the nurse asked if the patient's daughter-in-law would press her fingers to his lips and then to his deceased wife's lips so that they could share a final kiss. This seemed to provide the patient with much peace.

3. List the different departments involved with achieving this project.

This project involved the nursing unit from the trauma/burn unit at the medical center as well as the pastoral care department. Of course the transport department from the hospital also played a critical role. All were vital in achieving the goal of the project.

4. How was the nurse able to incorporate each of the relations mentioned above into meeting the spiritual needs of the patient?

Self:

Through meeting with the family and gaining insight into her patient's life, the nurse was able to become one of them, laughing and crying with them. This experience helped the nurse to grow both personally and professionally, by helping the family to heal emotionally after such a devastating crisis.

Others:

The nurse was very aware of Mr. L's desire to be as close to his wife as possible and for the family to be able to say goodbye to Mrs. L and have a chance to see the two of them together for one last time. She helped them to begin grieving by beginning the life evaluation and allowed Mr. L to give his wife one last kiss through proxy with his daughter-in-law.

God/Creator/Higher Power:

The nurse had the hospital pastor available to meet with the family an allowed tehm to have a prayer with their own minister.

World:

The nurse realized that there were much more important services she could provide for the patient than medical procedures. She allowed him to be part of a family again and not just a patient in a hospital and she enabled the family to spend time with him and his wife one last time, even getting a picture of the two of them together.

5. Write a summary describing your feelings regarding the nurse's actions and the comment referencing how engaging in life reviews"...allow you to grow professionally and personally."