Hey Guys,
Whilst on my 3 week placement in the ICU at Fremantle Hospital, there were many uncomforatble scenarios that confronted me, especially concerning the many deaths of patients.
My first full day in the ICU was very confronting, despite being warned about what to expect, you never really think it will firstly happen, then secondly, ever effect you. This was high lighted when a patient was rolled out of ICU down towards the morgue in the first hour of the day. Although not directly effecting you, you know that these particular groups of patients, on occasions, have their life dangling by a thread sometimes.
After that particular incident, we didn't have any deaths in the ICU until the end of the 2nd week. This particular patient came via the Murdoch ICU and his very uncommon heart condition and lung infection had progressively been getting worse. The two days before the patient passed away were interesting, at one stage his condition had actually gotten better. On the Thursday afternoon before leaving to go home, the patient was considered to be in a serious but stable condition but this had dramatically changed over night.
Upon returning on the following morning, the patient had his wife, son and daughter at his bedside and you could obviously notice that they had been crying for some time, but it wasn't until the nearby nurse had said that he had just passed away about 5 mins before walking in this morning that you realise how upfront death is.
Although it didn't upset or anger me, you realise that in some clinical cases that we will (as physio students) come across these particular cases through our 4th year journey. Even despite your best efforts of administrating breathing exercises, getting a patient to cough and postioning patients in bed, patients will die and you'll have to accept this. I know it is a very mean thing to think anout it in this way but you have to remember that in certain situations, such as ICU, you are there to do your job as a physio and its best to not get yourself attached to your patients, eventhough its human nature to do so. I kind of applied this particular process to the patients who passed away in my last week of my clinic, with mixed results.
Has anyone had a patient, who they were treating on the wards or in a an outpatients setting, die on them? What were your immediate thoughts or feelings?
3 comments:
I havent had a patient who i've been treating die on me so im not sure how i would react or deal with it. I do tend to get attached to my patients however and i feel that this helps with my treatment session as i can tailor it to that specific patient. If a patient gets worse i do tend to almost take it personally and look at what i've done for the patient and how i can "fix" them again. I think you've taken the right approach Hendo in trying to not get attached to the patients and even their families with whom i'd think you'd have a bit of contact with in ICU! although i'd love a placement in ICU i think i'd benefit a lot from having more physio experience before being put in such a stressful and emotional setting! thanks for an insight into the ICU environment Hendo!!
I was on a cardiopulmonary placement in 3rd year at RPH. On the ward there was a patient who was extremely unwell. This patient had terminal cancer and had come into the hospital after drinking a bottle of sulphuric acid in a suicide attemp. I did not tret this patient but I was in the meetings with the other allied health staff as they discussed the outcome and options for this patient. The medical team were doing everything they could to keep this patient alive that in the end it almost seemed inhumane to prolong his life any further. Dispite the med teams efforts he passed away ~2 weeks later. I know it is our duty to treat each patient but it is extremely hard and extremely sad when the patient does not want to live. Like you said tho however we can not become attatched nd we are there to do a job...its just the hardest part of the job I think.
Heya Hendo! I completely agree with what you have said. I myself feel that it is extremely hard drawing the line of how emotionally attached we are to become with our patients. I guess we have to sort of understand that there is only that much we can do for these people. Sometimes I feel that im in the wrong field only because I take things that happen to my patients too personally. Its like at clinic I am all happy and cheerful with my patients.. but the minute I come home I feel soo emotionally exhausted and drained.. Its like how much longer can I keep doing this? Never the less this is the way the cookie crumbles!... this is life..! And we just got to keep doing what we know as best as we can!
Keep it up guys!
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