Going Home

Going Home

By Nancy Leeder

For years, while attending college, I worked as a CNA (certified nursing assistant) in a hospice facility caring for terminally ill patients. To qualify for Hospice Care, the patient had to be within six months of their physician's estimated time of death.

Many people told me I had a sad job since every patient was nearing death. I felt it was a blessing because I had a near-death experience when I was in my twenties, after the birth of my daughter. I was able to share my experience with patients who were afraid of death. Many patients were able to pass away peacefully after hearing about my experience.

I worked the night shift and was given my assigned patients. I was told to watch Mrs. Jones tonight because she was so near death that she may pass on my shift. It was the practice at the facility where I worked to give bed baths to patients before they passed, so when the family is called about the death, the patient has been cleaned up for viewing. When the family leaves, the morgue is called to pick up the deceased.

After completing my patient check and taking vital signs, I was ready to give Mrs. Jones her bed bath. Mrs. Jones had a roommate with a curtain pulled between them. I was trained to speak with patients during personal care to make them feel more comfortable. The charge nurse told me to let her know it was okay to go home to God, and that her family was OK with her decision.

So, as I began the bed bath, I let her know it was okay to go home to God. Her family would be sad and miss her; however, they will be fine and accept her decision. Mrs. Jones was in a coma, so she did not respond, but I know patients can hear you even if they don’t respond. I finished her bed bath, and after cleaning up the basin and gathering the bed linens, I left the room.

It was time to do my rounds again, checking vital signs. I started with Mrs. Jones, and her vital signs were lower than usual; however, she was still alive and breathing. I pulled the curtain to get vital signs from Mrs. Jones’s roommate. To my surprise, her roommate had passed away! I called my charge nurse to check her vital signs of heart rate, pulse, and blood pressure. The roommate had passed away.

My charge nurse asked me if I spoke to the wrong patient, telling her that she could go home to God. I assured the nurse I had not said anything to the roommate. We believed the roommate was ready to leave, and the words I spoke to her neighbor helped her go home. As it turned out, Mrs. Jones did not pass away on my shift; she went home the following night. You never know who needs to hear the words before going home to God.