How to save a life?

morning sniffles — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:44:31 +0000

It was our last day in Medical ICU (MICU) and in our shift, we were only 2 trainees. I was assigned to manage two patients — both were suspected to have PTB but the other one has episodes of hemoptysis (coughing out of blood).
He was actually extubated or the endotracheal tube that assisted him to breathe has been removed. He was being prepared to be transferred to the ward because he can already breathe on his own. He though has nasogastric tubing or NGT for feeding.
I started monitoring the patient hourly until 7:00 p.m. I fed him and gave him his antihemorrhagic drug via NGT with strict aspiration precaution. I was asked to have my dinner since he was stable. The patient was talking with his wife when I left. I was starting to eat my dinner when my groupmate came to the pantry and told me to rush to my patient’s room as he was having another bout of hemoptysis. I ran to his room and the resident was already trying to intubate him. The patient continuously coughs out enormous amount of blood with fragments. The attendings have been paged. Emergency drugs have been pushed — Atropine, Epinephrine, fast drip IV fluids but the patient coded. His vitals deteriorated despite efforts to revive him. The attending and the nurses took turns giving cardiac massage but the patient remained on flat line.
I wanted to tell the code team to try reviving the patient.
Time of death was called.
We have given him post mortem care in order for his relatives to see him in resting state.
It was a sad night. The patient was okay when I left. His wife was joyful talking to him. The joy was replaced with moans and outburst of emotions as she was allowed to see him.
I tried to hold back my tears and went out of the room.

Morning Sniffles » emotions

How to save a life?