Going the Extra Miles for Patient Care

Lauren Sweeney

Lauren Sweeney, BSN, RN, went the distance on behalf of one of her patients on Tower 11C recently, pulling out all the stops to make sure he could go home to his family in Virginia after a lengthy stay at BWH.

The patient, who underwent surgery for mesothelioma, was too sick to travel via ground transportation back to his home state, and the only solution was air transportation. However, the patient’s insurance wouldn’t cover the costs, and his family was unable to afford it.

“I began to see how being away from his family was starting to get him depressed,” Sweeney said. “I couldn’t just stand here and do nothing.”

One evening, Sweeney began making calls to anyone who would listen to see if they could donate either money or a MedFlight trip. At every turn, people told her no, but she kept trying. “I kept telling myself, when there is a will, there is a way,” she said.

Her colleagues on 11C even pitched in by making calls and telling her of charities that might help.

Relief came when BWH’s International Mesothelioma Program stepped forward to cover the services an airline-MedFlight company offered to provide at a discounted rate. In order to get the patient to Logan Airport, Sweeney reached out to Fallon Ambulance Service, which donated a compassionate ride.

“She solved what seemed like an impossible problem. The patient was safely transported by MedFlight to Virginia, and it would not have happened without Lauren’s efforts,” said Andrea Merlin, RN, of Tower 11.

Sweeney wasn’t on duty when the patient left for Virginia, but remembers the patient’s face when she told him he would be going home.

“He couldn’t stop smiling, and you could just tell what a relief this was for him,” said Sweeney. “I like to take care of people, but there is nothing like making a difference in someone’s life during their most vulnerable time.”