Shannon Garrick
Shannon Garrick, RN, Edmonton
Story 1:
I was a brand-new registered nurse, working one of my first jobs in a rural emergency room (ER). I was working alone that night, and one of my patients was a 93-year-old woman who was palliative. Her condition worsened through the evening, and I tried to call her family or someone to come be with her in her final moments. She had no close family, and any of her friends were too far away to make it in time.
Another patient in the ER that night voluntarily agreed to sit with her until she passed, in case I got busy throughout the evening. Between the two of us, we held her hand and guided her to the next phase of her journey.
This story serves as a poignant reminder that in the busyness of our roles as nurses, we can sometimes overlook the essential human connection aspect of our work. Being present with her in her final moments ensured that she did not face her journey alone.
Story 2:
I was a new nurse and on my way to a much-anticipated vacation to Miami. It was also my first time seated in 1st Class. I was preparing to settle in with a cocktail when the announcement came over the intercom asking if there were any medical personnel on the plane. I looked around and no one came forward. So I reluctantly informed the flight crew that I was a nurse. They guided me to the passenger near the back of the plane. There was an older woman whose skin was turning grey, and she was sweating profusely. She told me had taken cold medication for sinus congestion. I was given an outdated first aid kit and used what I could to assess her vitals. I determined that between her cold, the medication, and the air cabin pressure, she was having inner ear issues. I stayed with her and continued to assess her throughout the flight. By the end of the flight, she seemed better, and she managed to walk off the plane. While I did not get to enjoy a first-class seat I had the rewarding sense of being able to help a fellow passenger in medical distress!
Story 3:
It was a snowy winter evening, and my husband and I were returning home on a rural highway near St. Paul, Alberta. The roads were bad, and it was snowing heavily. We noticed a minivan on its roof in the ditch, and a man on a cell phone behind the vehicle, calling for help. We pulled over and realized the accident had just happened, and we were one of the first on scene. We cleared the snow away from the roof of the van and looked inside. There was a very pregnant woman and her three young boys belted in and hanging upside down in the vehicle. One of the children was young enough to still be in a car seat. I remember seeing and hearing how terrified the children were, crying and screaming. Their mother was doing her best to stay calm, even though she was also upside down and one of her legs went through the front windshield. We agreed my husband would assess the boys (he is retired military and EMT) and I would take care of the mother. We had extra blankets and used them to keep the family warm. I assessed mom and kept her neck secured. She continued to try and reassure her children they would be ok, and help was on the way. We were told not to try and get them out of the vehicle until EMS arrived. We stayed with the family until EMS took over the situation.
We departed hastily, mindful of the worsening late-night weather. Fearing the prospect of being stranded overnight in the storm, we hurried on. The fate of the family we assisted remained unknown to us, a lingering curiosity my husband and I shared. I am thankful for the nursing knowledge and skills that enabled me to aid this family during their moment of distress and need.