Meeting a family for the first time, on the day they will say good-bye to their child for the last time. Taking care of the child’s physical needs until it’s time to be the one who turns off all that has been sustaining those needs.

It is one of the most profound interactions a nurse will ever have with the patient and family.

I’ve written about it in the Reflections column in the Aug 2017 American Journal of Nursing. You can read the article here.