Comfort & Coping - Emily Stoddard

Emily Stoddard, BSN ‘17 never had the intention of becoming an end-of-life care nurse. Instead, Stoddard began her nursing career on the oncology floor as a post-surgical inpatient nurse at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Mich. This is where her interest in hospice began, as this floor housed many end-of-life patients. As a new nurse, patient death was a daunting and scary experience.

“We usually learn how to help people,” Stoddard explained. As a case manager at CorsoCare, she completes visits, assessments and medication management of end-of-life patients. Stoddard also educates families, patients and staff on the processes that are involved with successful end-of-life care.

She describes herself as a “patient advocate” and stresses the importance of giving a voice to patients who cannot speak for themselves. 

“Every patient is different,” she continued. “One of my patients has a wife who wants me to focus more on mental health than physical health – so we play games. I like to learn what patients enjoy, and then I focus on doing that.”

Stoddard is constantly amazed at the humility of her patients. “They don’t like to complain, they often don’t share the negatives of their lives. They’ve seen it all, and they’re humble.” Stoddard enjoys the opportunity to learn from those who have walked the long journey of life.

An early experience shifted the way that she viewed death. Her father survived cardiac arrest while being driven to the hospital in an ambulance. Afterward, he explained the feelings that flooded his mind and body as he began to pass away. According to the Hospice Foundation of America, it is not unusual for dying persons to experience sensory changes that cause misperceptions such as illusions, hallucinations, or delusions.

Stoddard incorporates knowledge of her father’s experience into her practice. “It helps me understand what patients could be experiencing when they pass, often it can be feelings of euphoria and peacefulness. Death is a part of everyday life; we can make it a positive memory.” Stoddard hopes to destigmatize some of the negative aspects around the modern culture of death.

“It’s a hard job, but very rewarding. Stress management is key.” Stoddard explains that her profession has allowed her to be more comfortable when approaching the topic of death with friends and family. “Oftentimes what I do while at work is hard, but I also know that it has to get done. I take comfort in that.”

While a student at the college, a hospice nurse visited to speak about career options. The speaker described many interesting stories, ranging from amusing to heartwarming. Stoddard credits this as a key experience that shaped her approach to patient death.

“End-of-life care is not a negative thing; we can help someone pass very peacefully,” said Stoddard. “The payoff of knowing someone passed peacefully and comfortably is well worth the work that goes into this job.”

READ MORE ABOUT SPARTAN AND HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE NURSES...