I promised myself at the beginning of my career knowing that I would be faced with death, that no matter what I was doing, I wouldn’t let anyone die alone. At the start of the pandemic, that promise was reinterated, that no matter how busy it got, or if I hadn’t had a break, I would not let someone die alone.

One day, my care for a COVID-19 positive patient was to one way extubate, and allow to die peacefully. I had their family on video conference, and I reassured them that she was not alone as they said their goodbyes.

Unfortunately, I was called away before she died. I ask my patients and their families to trust me, when they are at their most vulnerable so I can care for them effectively. My promise to them was broken and it still haunts me.

What if this was my family? We need safe staffing so that this doesn’t happen.