We would like to nominate the 4 NorthEast team for their dedication and commitment to relationship-based care. This past year the unit cared for two patients in particular who were deemed incompetent to make their own decisions and became guardians of the state. These patients have spent an extended amount of time on the unit waiting for a state-appointed guardian. In the state of NJ, it is necessary for the courts to appoint a guardian for incapacitated patients who have no surrogate decision-makers available. Therefore, the 4 NorthEast staff quickly became their family.
The first patient named E was newly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and unfortunately passed away while in their care after 160 days. Initially, she was a physically and emotionally challenging patient to care for, often heard yelling at staff and being non-compliant with care. Yet the staff was not deterred and looked for ways to connect with her personally. They were driven by discovering what her interests were and catered to them. One example would be bringing in cooking magazines that she could spend her day reading through since she loved cooking. Also during her stay, they advocated for her to have everything from routine paracentesis to having the necessities such as real clothing and even manicures. Upon her final days, the 4 NorthEast staff alternated spending one on one time with her, holding her hand and reassuring her that she was safe and that she could finally rest. When E finally passed, she was calm, comfortable, and most importantly not alone. E came into the hospital with no family but left this world with an abundance of love from the 4 NorthEast staff.
The other patient is a developmentally-delayed 49-year old man named T who came to Virtua voluntarily for cellulitis and was treated. During his stay, staff identified barriers to a safe discharge based on the information he provided about his home living situation. He was also deemed legally incompetent to make any decisions and no family was willing to step up on his behalf. T has currently been here for 339 days, and within that time the 4 NorthEast staff has made his hospital room feel as much like home as possible. For his birthday, the staff threw him a party with food, cake, decorations, and gifts. His smile was from ear to ear. Then on Thanksgiving, one of the nurses brought him Popeyes chicken per his request for a Thanksgiving meal. Shortly thereafter, the staff decorated his room in the holiday spirit. They even chipped in and purchased Christmas gifts in addition to the basic every-day needs that they all take turns purchasing, which included XXL underwear and his favorite strawberry VO5 shampoo. T routinely expresses his appreciation and gratitude for the staff's involvement in his care while he waits for his court-appointed guardian. The case management team has been working diligently on his case and has taken a special interest in finding him the best disposition to fit his needs.
While these patients do not necessarily require the normal medical care that hospitalized patients need, there is an emotional, mental, and social aspect to their lives that is/was fulfilled by the 4 NorthEast staff. Without their contributions, E may very well have passed away alone and still in a negative mindset. Instead, she passed away peacefully with loving friends surrounding her and a hand to hold. T, on the other hand, remains positive about his future and socializes with the staff on a daily basis. Great strides were made pertaining to their mental and emotional state after having been hospitalized for such a long period of time. The 4 NorthEast staff really went above and beyond for these patients who otherwise would have nothing and became the family they didn't have.