I was seeing a patient who presented with double vision.  His CT scan unfortunately showed an aggressive metastatic mass in his sinuses that had spread to this orbital area, skull base, and brain.  After delivering the terrible news to the patient, I left to call his Doctor and to get him admitted, and he was sadly alone, having lost his wife 2-months prior.  Loriann, who has been one of the most caring ED Nurses I've known in my 31 years in practice, was moved by this poor man's diagnosis.  She immediately went to see the patient and sat down to comfort him.  Loriann brought him a meal tray with a flower and made sure that he was not alone and had everything he needed, to the extent of even taking him outside to get him out of his room for a bit.  

It is a very fine line between delivering bad news and internalizing the patient's pain and fear as the caregiver.  It is something all ED providers struggle with during their careers.  To become personally involved in a patient's life and emotionally involved in a patient's care is the caring thing to do, but there is a price we pay as Healthcare workers when we get too involved.  This fact keeps many of us from investing our heart and soul in these difficult cases, but all of us have at one time or another, and all of us will make this sacrifice again in the future, but it takes a little bit out of us each time.  This is why I want Loriann's sacrifice, personal involvement, and commitment to this gentleman's care to be highlighted.  Loriann always delivers excellent care to her patients, but in this case, she really went above and beyond comforting a patient that I don't even think was her patient.  

At times in Emergency Medicine, it can feel as though we don't make a difference in difficult cases such as this one, but I can say with all certainty that in this man's life, Loriann made all the difference in the world. I appreciate her so much and am honored to work with her and call her a friend.