Even during pandemic, program ensures NO PATIENT DIES ALONE
WELL+BEING Written by LAUREN LAROCCA Ensuring that no patient dies alone has become even more important for Meritus Medical Center during the COVID-19 pandemic, as people are not permitted to visit patients on-site who have been diagnosed with the virus. In January 2020, the hospital implemented the NODA program, which stands for No One Dies Alone, enlisting a group of trained volunteers to be on call to sit bedside with patients in their final hours. The program was put on hold in March 2020, due to the pandemic, and resumed in October, only to go on hiatus again in November. Many of the volunteers are retirees who fall into the“high-risk”category for the coronavirus due to their age, said Jessica Casey, director of volunteer services at Meritus. The hospital did not want to put them at unnecessary risk by continuing the NODA program, and is basing the decision on the number of patients with COVID-19 currently in the hospital, which, as of February, was steadily dropping, making it likely that volunteers will return soon. In the meantime, the hospital retains its commitment that no patient dies alone. Nurses and other available employees step in to be with patients as they pass away. “Before I worked here, I was the program director for respite care with an emergency homeless shelter,” Casey said.“I saw a lot of people die alone, in not the best circumstances.
Photography by Colleen McGrath
At the very least, you’re in a hospital here and have a bed to pass away in, but you can still be alone in that space. Someone’s there when you’re born, and someone should be there when you’re passing on. I think it’s really important to have someone there, to pass away with dignity.” Angela Palle, one of Meritus’ chaplains who trains NODA volunteers, concurs. She has provided end-of-life services for many patients at the hospital. She said that especially during the pandemic, when visitors aren’t permitted to be with patients, the hospital staff is like family to them. “It’s hard to transition from this life to the next, so doing that with someone holding your hand is so important. People need that. We are social beings,” Palle said.“It tells them, no matter the circumstances, you matter. No matter what, you’re still loved. It brings so much peace to know you meant something. Your life mattered.”
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This story originally was published in Thrive: A Guide to Your Health and Wellness.
NEED FOR VOLUNTEERS Despite the program being on hold, there is a need for additional volunteers, especially young people who aren't at high risk for COVID-19 complications. For more information, contact the volunteer services office at the hospital, 301-790-8143.
