A first...

The other day I looked after an 87 year old male from a nursing home. He was DNR, but if he needed medical care beyond the ability of the nursing home, he was to be transferred to an acute center for treatment. I had a chance to work with him on my first night shift of two. He had come into the ER by ambulance. The nurses at the nursing home had noted that he had a lower LOA, and wasn't acting normal, so they shipped him to us.

He was fairly out of it, probably because his BP was hovering around 60/40. Also on his short list was depression and Parkinson's. We gave him a load of fluids, and his BP was still low, around 80/40. Turns out he had pneumonia as well. After numerous hours and a bunch of treatments, we sent him back home more lucid, with his son by his side.

The next evening we were working with an emergency physician who was also a coroner. Unfortunately, that same man passed away that evening, at the nursing home.

I have experienced a code, but the person was already dead by the time they arrived to the ED.

This is the first time a patient whom I dedicated a lot of my time to, and whom I had gotten to know his family, had died. I guess I should get used to it, because people die, no matter what we try to do and stop it, and in this case, I'm wondering if death would be welcomed. I'm hoping his family was with him at the final stage. Rest in Peace, Mr. X.