A ward sister from Ipswich Hospital who helped a dying woman get to her husband’s funeral, has been given an award after she was nominated by her team on the Stradbroke Ward.
Chelle Rodgers, 44, who has worked for the NHS for 10 years, came into work early on the day of the funeral as she wanted to make sure that all the arrangements for the patient were in place.
It was then she was told that the lady had become very unwell overnight and would require oxygen, specialist transport and constant clinical observation if she would be able to attend the funeral.
After speaking to the patient Chelle immediately puts plans into action so the patient was able to join her family at the funeral - she died just two days later.
Chelle said: "From a personal perspective I would hope a nurse would do this for me should I ever require it one day.
"I felt honoured that we could give this lovely lady her wish and I know it meant so much to the family to have her there also.
"I have faced a lot of difficult patient situations having worked in Critical care, but this is one that I will almost certainly remember as it touched me deeply. Everyone pulled together to make this happen and that's why the NHS is such a great place to work."
Chelle, said it "Meant the world" to be able to get the patient safely to her husband's funeral.
She added: "I truly believe what I did was not out of the ordinary and would like to think other nurses would have done this also.
"It was a team effort from the ambulance crew, operations centre, support from my matrons and most definitely the staff on Stradbroke Ward that continued caring for all the other patients whilst I took this lady to the funeral."
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