Crew members Danielle and Graeme of the Queensland Ambulance Service in Australia reported a detour they took on the way to deliver a patient to hospice care. From the Facebook post:
A crew were transporting a patient to the palliative care unit of the local Hospital and the patient expressed that she just wished she could be at the beach again.Above and beyond,the crew took a small diversion to the awesome beach at Hervey Bay to give the patient this opportunity – tears were shed and the patient felt very happy.
Sometimes it is not the drugs/training/skills – sometimes all you need is empathy to make a difference!
It's not the first time the ambulance service has granted a last wish. The top-rated comment underneath from Darren Booker is also worth sharing.
Years ago a fellow crew member and I had a situation where the patient was taking her last ride home. She asked to see the beach one last time. After going tthe beach and opening the rear door, we asked her if would like an ice cream, to which she replied yes with a giggle of delight. A short time later the hardly licked ice cream fell to the floor. The patient had passed away. As she lay there still smiling at the last view that she ever saw, we had a minutes silence for her. Although the memory is an old one, it is still vivid. Great work by this crew, well done guys and girls.
-via Buzzfeed
(Image credit: Queensland Ambulance Service)