‘When there is no hope’ the focus of Tuesday’s Schwartz Round

For more than a year, an illegal immigrant lay in a persistent vegetative state in the hospital.

Prior to that, he had been a healthy young man who had mysterious neurologic symptoms that could not be diagnosed.

When there is no hope for a patient, The Nebraska Medical Center now has a policy to help caregivers and family members determine the right thing to do. Approaching the “futility” process is the topic for Tuesday’s Schwartz Center Rounds.

At the seminar, the panel will focus on:

• The team’s experience with the first time using the policy;
  
• How the team worked together and with the family; and
  
• Personal struggles team members faced with this issue.

The panelists are:

• David Gannon, M.D., critical care medical director at The Nebraska Medical Center;
  
• Marcy Saniuk, associate nurse manager, adult progressive care unit at The Nebraska Medical Center;
  
• Dave Poppert, risk manager at The Nebraska Medical Center;
  
• Connie Cordell, director social work and palliative care at The Nebraska Medical Center; and
  
• David Sweeney of pastoral care at The Nebraska Medical Center.

The seminar starts at 11:50 a.m. in the Maurer Center for Public Health, Room 3013. Lunch will be provided for the first 80 attendees.