Saturday, March 28, 2009

Not quite rolling yet

My nurse manager has agreed to my proposal to guide the development of a core group of end of life care resource nurses in our 20-bed specialty intensive care unit, and we're working up the final pieces of the plan.

I want to use this site as an important part of the project. I'll include materials from the series of classes we'll be conducting, and hope that the participants will contribute posts and comments here.

One step at a time, though. Things often don't move as quickly in large institutions as I'd like.

Until then, I hope you'll read a very fine essay that I just came across at DailyKos. It's called "Wife," and it's a loving tribute by The National Gadfly to his grandmother. Here's a small taste:
In reality, the memories of the dead can never do justice to their lives. No monument or story or reverence can replace or recreate the impact of anyone. It is simply not possible. What we can do, is to do what they did - live, and do so with every ounce of care and commitment that we can generate. The greater the legacy we might wish to honor, the greater the commitment we share with those that live with us now.