SICU Team
June 2019
Surgical Intensive Care Unit
at UMMC University Hospital
SICU
UMMC University Hospital
Jackson
,
MS
United States
Eric Allen, RN;
Blake Anderson, RN;
Lindsay Burton, RN;
Debra L Carter, RN;
Cassie N Coats, RN;
Benjamin Davis, RN;
Jonathan W Depoyster, RN;
Shelby S Dye, RN;
Bailey Allen Dungan, RN;
Kendra P Florczak, RN;
Brenda F Guidry, RN;
Laura B Hailey, RN;
Richard Hallman, RN;
Rebecca Y Hance, RN;
Ashleigh R Hannah, RN;
Steven M Harmon, RN;
Stephanie Y Harris, RN;
Bentley H Harrison, RN;
Cara J Harrison, RN;
Krystal H Harrison, RN;
Hannah B Hartdegen, RN;
Olivia J Herrington, RN;
Alexa A Hogan, RN;
Jeanne M Hohman, RN;
Caleb A Hollingsworth, RN;
Kelly D Holly, RN;
Timothy D Ingram, RN;
Morgan L Jones, RN;
Lucy B Kennington, RN;
Robert B Kiker, RN;
Jasper D Layton, RN;
Mary G Lindsey, RN;
Tabor L Mcgee, RN;
Kelly C Patrick, RN;
Jake M Penick, RN;
Jon-Michael R Pittman, RN;
Justin B Reed, RN;
Kimberly A Reeves, RN;
Mary E Rhea, RN;
Christopher M Rhodes, RN;
D'Erica L Rhodes, RN;
Angela E Risher, RN;
Morgan E Self, RN;
Bradley J Skinner, RN;
Jordan Claire Smith, RN;
Leslie A Spencer, RN;
Terry L Temple, RN;
Caitlin N Thweatt, RN;
Casey W Upton, RN;
Brian J Walker, RN;
Sarah K Weill, RN;
Kim Horn - Nurse Manager
Blake Anderson, RN;
Lindsay Burton, RN;
Debra L Carter, RN;
Cassie N Coats, RN;
Benjamin Davis, RN;
Jonathan W Depoyster, RN;
Shelby S Dye, RN;
Bailey Allen Dungan, RN;
Kendra P Florczak, RN;
Brenda F Guidry, RN;
Laura B Hailey, RN;
Richard Hallman, RN;
Rebecca Y Hance, RN;
Ashleigh R Hannah, RN;
Steven M Harmon, RN;
Stephanie Y Harris, RN;
Bentley H Harrison, RN;
Cara J Harrison, RN;
Krystal H Harrison, RN;
Hannah B Hartdegen, RN;
Olivia J Herrington, RN;
Alexa A Hogan, RN;
Jeanne M Hohman, RN;
Caleb A Hollingsworth, RN;
Kelly D Holly, RN;
Timothy D Ingram, RN;
Morgan L Jones, RN;
Lucy B Kennington, RN;
Robert B Kiker, RN;
Jasper D Layton, RN;
Mary G Lindsey, RN;
Tabor L Mcgee, RN;
Kelly C Patrick, RN;
Jake M Penick, RN;
Jon-Michael R Pittman, RN;
Justin B Reed, RN;
Kimberly A Reeves, RN;
Mary E Rhea, RN;
Christopher M Rhodes, RN;
D'Erica L Rhodes, RN;
Angela E Risher, RN;
Morgan E Self, RN;
Bradley J Skinner, RN;
Jordan Claire Smith, RN;
Leslie A Spencer, RN;
Terry L Temple, RN;
Caitlin N Thweatt, RN;
Casey W Upton, RN;
Brian J Walker, RN;
Sarah K Weill, RN;
Kim Horn - Nurse Manager
We admitted an elderly couple into the Surgical Intensive Care Unit who had been involved in a motor vehicle collision. Both husband and wife suffered extensive injuries. He was 90 and she was 86. Their 70th wedding anniversary was fast approaching. While they were in different areas, we quickly realized what a wonderful couple they were. They frequently asked about each other and when they would be able to hold hands again. We were able to move the wife's bed into the husband's area so they could be next to each other for a few minutes. They immediately held hands. Later the husband stated that was the best he had felt since he had the accident. Just being able to see each other was uplifting to them and to the SICU staff. As we looked on, we felt the love they had for each other.
After a few weeks in the SICU, both patients began to decline. The husband was more alert and able to communicate than his wife. When we realized that there was nothing more we could do for them, we had conversations with family members regarding end of life care. They were still in different areas. Then and there we knew we wanted to help.
Open beds are hard to come by. Every UMMC employee knows this. There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to patient placement. SICU has 20 beds and we are ALWAYS full. But on this day, we saw a chance to move some things around. We have a semi-private room that holds 2 patients. This room is our least favorite; neither nurses nor patients like it and it is divided by a curtain. We had two beds become open, so we played "musical beds" and moved the husband into one area of the semi-private room and his wife into the other. We turned the beds so they could see each other and opened the curtain. They were finally next to each other.
Throughout the remainder of that shift, the husband continued to tell his wife he loved her. Having them in the same room made it easier for family and friends to spend time with their loved ones during their last hours. Later that night the wife passed away. The staff went to the husband and told him it was "ok for him to go" that "she is gone and at peace now". Within an hour of her passing, the husband peacefully passed also.
The SICU staff made an incredible impact on this couple. We have to believe that they were able to go peacefully knowing they were in each other's presence.
After a few weeks in the SICU, both patients began to decline. The husband was more alert and able to communicate than his wife. When we realized that there was nothing more we could do for them, we had conversations with family members regarding end of life care. They were still in different areas. Then and there we knew we wanted to help.
Open beds are hard to come by. Every UMMC employee knows this. There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to patient placement. SICU has 20 beds and we are ALWAYS full. But on this day, we saw a chance to move some things around. We have a semi-private room that holds 2 patients. This room is our least favorite; neither nurses nor patients like it and it is divided by a curtain. We had two beds become open, so we played "musical beds" and moved the husband into one area of the semi-private room and his wife into the other. We turned the beds so they could see each other and opened the curtain. They were finally next to each other.
Throughout the remainder of that shift, the husband continued to tell his wife he loved her. Having them in the same room made it easier for family and friends to spend time with their loved ones during their last hours. Later that night the wife passed away. The staff went to the husband and told him it was "ok for him to go" that "she is gone and at peace now". Within an hour of her passing, the husband peacefully passed also.
The SICU staff made an incredible impact on this couple. We have to believe that they were able to go peacefully knowing they were in each other's presence.