House supervisor helps grieving widow
After a tragic accident, one caregiver digs deep for those left behind.
Nothing could have been done to help the man brought that day to the emergency department. He had died either at the time of the accident or on the way to the hospital.
But Joanna Long took action to help those who still needed her care.
A house supervisor at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield, Oregon, Joanna’s job involves handling all kinds of situations, including ones like this.
Providing comfort
“Joanna was the one to meet the wife upon her arrival and let her know her husband had passed,” said a co-worker. She stayed with the widow for many hours and provided as much comfort as she could for someone in heart-aching sorrow.
Joanna learned that the victim had worked as a police officer in another city. She asked the hospital’s security team to help alert local law enforcement. The patient’s colleagues would also be grieving.
Honor walk
Since the patient was also an organ donor, staff arranged for an honor walk. Honor walks are a way for hospitals to show respect for organ donors.
Joanna’s quick and caring actions in a painful situation helped family and friends in the midst of grief and loss.
