As a nurse, we are taught to advocate for our patients and their well-being, physically, mentally, and emotionally. We strive to make their hospital stay the best they can be under the circumstances, and we do what we can to make them feel comfortable.

So, sadly, when the time comes for our patients to leave this world and transition, we strive to do the best for our patients and to honor their last wishes and requests. We sometimes find ourselves adding their favorite pictures to the wall or wrapping them up in blankets from home, but what if we can't do such simple things for them, and we can't grant them their last requests as soon as they want them?

That's what Nurse Ivana was tasked with one day. One of our patients in MSDU one day told Ivana straight forward, "I'm ready to go." After being sick for a long time, she was done and just wanted to be made comfortable and pass away, but here is where it gets tricky. Her family didn't want to let her go right away.

Ivana stepped up and did all she could to fulfill her patient's request. She consistently paged physicians regarding the patient's wish and chatted with them back and forth all during her shift. After meeting some resistance in going forth, Ivana reached out to ethics to see if there was something else she could do to help her patient.

Ivana even helped her patient make a dreadful call to her son, relaying her wish. Before that phone call, she assisted her patient to wash her face and spruce up a bit, the best she could. She stood at the bedside with her hand on her patient's back, offering whatever emotional support she could during the moment they made that call.

In the end, both she and the patient had to wait for a hospice meeting the next day, and finally, her last request was honored. Despite not being able to fulfill the patient's last request when the patient wanted to, Ivana never gave up and did all she could for her patient.

She got multiple physicians, unit leadership, and ethics all involved to try to do the best for her patient. Standing next to Ivana and her patient when she told her what steps she was taking to grant her last wish was gut-wrenching. Anger, disappointment, and sadness were all present, but to know Ivana stood up for her patient and did her best was a moment of pride, knowing that we have nurses who will try anything to help their patients.