30 Something Baby Doc

When I was a resident , I worked on the Gynecologic Oncology ward as part of my training. This service mainly dealt with woman who unfortunately had various cancers of the female reproductive tract. (ie. ovarian, uterine and cervical cancers). While on the service we would perform surgeries, and manage the patients after surgery. We also admitted patients for chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Occasionally we would admit a patient for hospice care after they had exhausted all possible treatments for their cancer.

We admitted a patient, Mrs Smith, for hospice care while I was on the service. She was dying of ovarian cancer. She was only to receive supportive care in the form of intravenous fluids and pain medications. She therefore had a PICC line in place to receive fluids and medications. Mrs Smith fought for 3 days but eventually lost her battle with cancer and died. I was on call for the service the night she died therefore I stayed late talking with her family, signing the appropriate paper work and charting. Later that night when I was home asleep, I received a call from the nurses stating that Mrs Smith's PICC line was still in place and the funeral home needed it removed before they would take the body. Patient care policy clearly stated that nurses were not allowed to remove PICC lines therefore, they asked if I could come in and remove it.

I told the nurses that they had my blessing to go ahead and remove the PICC line themselves and if Mrs Smith complained in anyway, maybe we shouldn't be sending her to the funeral home???????