Cath Lab Digest - May 2008 - (Page 38)

38 LIFE LESSONS MAY 2008 Unspoken Words Michele Impreveduto, RN, BA, MPA Lead Nurse CCL Hackensack University Medical Center Hackensack, New Jersey A she did not really want to hear what she may have already known. Young, naïve and scared, I remained at this patient’s side throughout her illness, from sleepless nights at the hospital with her to receiving the dreaded results from her physicians. As expected, a multitude of complications occurred within the year. The patient continued to maintain her composure and was constantly female patient was diagnosed apologizing to me for her needs. But, you see, this was not just with triple-vessel disease, requiring coronary artery another patient to me. This was my bypass surgery in 1985. After a 10-day mother, a strong-willed woman length of stay, she was discharged to wanting to protect her family from home and started on a regimen of car- the emotional devastation of loss. Many opportunities were given to diac medications. Within months, a complete recovery from surgery was her, in quiet moments, to answer any achieved. Subsequently, a visible of her questions or to discuss her illnecrotic lump appeared on the ness, but she chose not to and I patient’s left breast. A mammography respected that. It confirmed to me that my protective actions diagnosed a malignant breast mass I will take with me this were correct in not conrequiring further evallearning experience firming what I am sure uation. A bone scan of offering patients the she already knew. Then came the night revealed metastatic opportunity to discuss my mother became unredisease with a diagnotheir illness and ask sis of stage IV breast questions, or to be sponsive, and she did not respond to any vercancer. A left masteccomfortable with bal or tactile stimuli. tomy was performed the fact that they This was the beginning for prophylactic infecmight rather leave of my emotional breaktious reasons. things unsaid. down, kneeling at her In an attempt to protect this patient from her fatal bedside in her home, hugging and diagnosis and wanting her to main- crying uncontrollably. To my surtain a positive attitude to fight for prise, she responded by saying, her life, I minimized her diagnosis to “Honey, be good, I’m alright,” and breast cancer requiring a mastecto- she never responded again. The following day, my mother my only. When questioned about the results of her bone scan, we passed away in the comfort of her informed her that she was “alright.” own home with her family encircling Keeping the true extent of her dis- her, and finally out of physical and ease from this patient was not my emotional pain. As for me, I have no regrets and I only challenge, for I had to convince her physicians to do the same with- will take with me this learning expeout lying to her. I spoke with her pri- rience of offering patients the oppormary physicians as well as calling tunity to discuss their illness and ask her consultants at Sloan Kettering questions, or to be comfortable with prior to her appointments and the fact that they might rather leave things unsaid. ■ explaining the situation. As difficult as this may have seemed, the patient never questioned Michele Impreveduto can be conthe physicians, leading me to believe tacted at mimprev@aol.com TOPICS OF INTEREST CLD Online Hybrid Revascularization Nov 2007 Treating Patients with Complex Vascular Disease with a MultiDisciplinary Approach http://cathlabdigest.com/article/8034 June 2007 The Electrical and Mechanical Challenges of Hybrid Cath Labs http://cathlabdigest.com/article/7265 Dec 2007 The Heart Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital Opens First Hybrid Congenital Cardiac Operating Suite in U.S. http://cathlabdigest.com/article/8166 www.cathlabdigest.com Cath Lab Digest has lots of free! online articles to answer your questions. We offer a random sampling below. September 2004 Vascular Access Site Hemostasis: “An Endovascular Surgeon’s Perspective” Manual Compression May Not Be Benign Part 1 http://cathlabdigest.com/article/3143 February 2008 Incidence and Predictors of Vascular Complications after Invasive Coronary Procedures: A Prospective Analysis http://cathlabdigest.com/article/8564 September 2002 Femoral Artery Hemostasis with the FemoStop® Compression System: The Importance of Proper Dome Placement http://cathlabdigest.com/article/881 Hemostasis & Groin Complications March 2008 Groin Bleeds and Other Hemorrhagic Complications of Cardiac Catheterization: A list of relevant issues http://cathlabdigest.com/article/8528 The CARE Bill May 2007 CARE Bill Sets Standards for Personnel Who Perform Medical Imaging Exams http://cathlabdigest.com/article/7241 (see also the news section of www.sicp.com for more information) http://www.sicp.com http://www.sicp.com http://www.cathlabdigest.com http://cathlabdigest.com/article/3143 http://cathlabdigest.com/article/8034 http://cathlabdigest.com/article/7265 http://cathlabdigest.com/article/8564 http://cathlabdigest.com/article/8166 http://cathlabdigest.com/article/881 http://cathlabdigest.com/article/7241 http://cathlabdigest.com/article/8528 http://www.sicp.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Cath Lab Digest - May 2008

Cath Lab Digest - May 2008 The King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre Cell Therapy in the Cath Lab for Heart Failure: A Look at MyoCell® Therapy and the SEISMIC Trial Performance Improvement Strategies Speed Up Treatment Times in the Management of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) Patients Contents Clinical Editor’s Corner Commentary: Performance Improvement Strategies Speed Up Treatment Times in the Management of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) Patients Ask the STEMI Expert Comparing Drug-Eluting Stents and Bare-Metal Stents SICP: The Ten-Minute Interview with… Christopher Kambak, RT(R) Cardiac Cath Lab Economics in a Public Hospital of a Developing Country Keeping Your Heart & Vascular Employees: Proven Ideas for an Effective Retention Plan Unspoken Words Ask the Clinical Instructor Society of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals Meetings Calendar Education Center What Do You Think? Clinical & Industry News Classifieds Advertisers Index

Cath Lab Digest - May 2008

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