Bringing ECMO to the Wedding

Bringing ECMO to the Wedding

Sounds impossible right?

Not for the team at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Oregon, USA. The patient voiced the desire to attend a wedding, wear a dress in photos and sit on the front row. This incredible team heard the wishes of their patient on ECMO, planned accordingly, coordinated as though they were doing a high stakes transport with multiple risks and made it happen.

They calculated oxygen needs for transport and the event duration, power needs and all emergency considerations. They also created evacuation plans if they needed to urgently go back to the hospital environment. The team was highly trained, meticulously prepared and as they recount, "offered (the) patient something invaluable".

Our biggest thanks goes out to this dedicated team who actively listened and involved the patient in the care. Many times it can be so easy to brush off very real requests from our patients due to lack of time, resources and trained personnel. The action of being truly present, hearing requests and following through with interventions throughout the complexity of care is priceless to patients and their loved ones.

This team went above and beyond to show their dedication.

Shannon Shambley and Chelsea McMahon shared their team's experience during the ELSO meeting and wrote about it here: https://journals.lww.com/asaiojournal/fulltext/2024/09004/98__checklists_and_guest_lists__bringing_ecmo_to.80.aspx