Journal Topic and Instruction
The topic that was given to us by our nursing assistant online class teacher is about: “Caring for a Dying Patient.”
I will be writing about my dear husband’s passing.
Here’s the teacher’s instruction…
Think about, then write about the following example, or choose your own comments related to caring for a dying patient.
Example: You have been caring for Mr. Cole, who is dying, for the last 6 weeks. Now, it appears that the time of death is rapidly approaching. As his ability to speak decreases, Mr. Cole is able to manage to say, “I don’t want to be alone.”
What are some specific things you can do for Mr. Cole to make him more comfortable and to honor this last request?
Journal Entry: Caring for My Husband
Here’s my journal entry. . .
Two years ago, when my husband was dying, he loved to watch the programs in 3ABN―a Christian TV channel.
One day he was listening to a pastor who talked about a father who had a difficult time dealing with the death of his son. The pastor talked about our blessed hope in Jesus.
I had noticed my husband was feeling uneasy and anxious. He misted himself with water from a spray bottle to cool him down.
Before my husband was diagnosed with cancer, he often told everyone that he was not afraid to die. I was wondering if he was afraid to die when he heard the pastor talking about the death of the son.
So I switched the TV program to Christian piano hymns featured on YouTube. The beautiful Christian hymns calmed him down. After that, I kept on playing Kaleb Brasee’s piano hymns on YouTube for my husband.
One night a hospice nurse visited us. As soon as she stepped in and heard the music playing she commented, “It’s so peaceful in here. The music is beautiful.”
In this experience, I found out that a dying person needs to have an environment that is calming and inviting.