Nurses have the privilege of being with a person during what could be one of the most significant and meaningful moments of their lives. In the film Wit, Vivian Bearing learned a great deal about herself and the human experience while she was in her most vulnerable state, battling stage four ovarian cancer. She was urged into accepting a rigorous and debilitating chemotherapy trial by her physician, Harvey Kelekian. The insensitivity and coldness she received from Kelekian and his team of doctors left her yearning for human kindness, something she never applied to her own career. Degraded and scared, it led her to question the value of academic pursuit if it meant sacrificing human wellness.
In the last moments of Vivian’s life, it was only her primary care nurse, Susie who showed her compassion and empathy. One evening when Vivian was feeling especially lonely, she occluded her own IV for a chance to speak with Susie. Contrary to her usual stoic demeanor, she confided to her that she was scared. Vivian, who prefers to remain …show more content…
She told her that her treatment was not working, and that her cancer had metastasized. She acknowledged that it should have been her doctors to tell her, but it didn’t seem like they were going to anytime soon so she felt that it was her responsibility. Susie had respect for Vivian. She recognized that Vivian was more than just a research patient and she deserved to be involved in every step of her care. She followed to present Vivian with her two options regarding her code status. She spoke to her clearly to avoid confusion, and didn’t try to sway her toward either choice, rather left her informed with both of her choices. In this conversation, Susie exhibited skills that every nurse should have. She communicated with her patient to promote comfort and knowledge surrounding her care. She also promoted patient autonomy by presenting her with all the information she needed to form a
In the last moments of Vivian’s life, it was only her primary care nurse, Susie who showed her compassion and empathy. One evening when Vivian was feeling especially lonely, she occluded her own IV for a chance to speak with Susie. Contrary to her usual stoic demeanor, she confided to her that she was scared. Vivian, who prefers to remain …show more content…
She told her that her treatment was not working, and that her cancer had metastasized. She acknowledged that it should have been her doctors to tell her, but it didn’t seem like they were going to anytime soon so she felt that it was her responsibility. Susie had respect for Vivian. She recognized that Vivian was more than just a research patient and she deserved to be involved in every step of her care. She followed to present Vivian with her two options regarding her code status. She spoke to her clearly to avoid confusion, and didn’t try to sway her toward either choice, rather left her informed with both of her choices. In this conversation, Susie exhibited skills that every nurse should have. She communicated with her patient to promote comfort and knowledge surrounding her care. She also promoted patient autonomy by presenting her with all the information she needed to form a