Page 14 - NAMAH-Oct-2017

Namah Vol. 25, Issue 3, 15th October 2017

amidst the action-packed environment of of death. Another said that she “was deeply
the critical care unit. moved by the spontaneity with which the whole
team gathered quickly”, and “the care of the
Code Krishna — conceptualised and introduced dead should always be like this”. One of
by a group of volunteering doctors — was the relatives said, “The practice reflects an
soon adopted as an institutional practice altogether different paradigm.” Describing
and is now followed after every death that her response to the practice, a family member
takes place in all wards of the hospital. said, “The practice meant a lot to me as a
Before its implementation, sensitisation and soothing experience, which will go a long
training sessions were held for the doctors, way in healing.”
nurses and other staff members. Further, the
undergraduate and postgraduate students The nurses felt that the practice gives rise
were sensitised to the need to handle the to a stillness, which brings peace.A nurse
emotionally traumatic event of death with said, “The silence is so unique!” Another
the requisite sensitivity. When the entire opined that the practice gives one a sense of
medical team gathers at the bedside of the accomplishment or makes one feel that one
deceased patient, it can help the bereaved has fulfilled one’s duty of treating a human
family to derive strength and solace in the being to the end. The postgraduate students
philosophical domain in its time of grief. This were awestruck. Those who were involved
forms the core of Code Krishna. It is aimed at in initiating the practice observed that the
shortening the period of grief and helping the implementation of Code Krishna helped to
bereaved family move to more stable mental align the orientation of the treating team to the
stages of grief management. care of the whole person and his/her family.
They also observed that the spontaneity with
Experiential anecdotes which everyone participated in Code Krishna
revealed that even medical persons are,
We have not evaluated Code Krishna with after all, human beings sharing beliefs and
rigour and we present it as an innovative sentiments with others. It was also felt that
practice in the field of death and dying. Our it helped to de-stress the intensive care unit
personal experiences have been gratifying. (ICU) staff. The students appreciated the fact
According to some family members, “The that the practice served the non-materialistic,
practice provides the much-needed humane yet tangible and deep-rooted needs of society,
touch in the era of high-tech medicine, and thereby helping the institution honour its
the solace it offers is very deeply touching.” commitment to culturally synchronous, value-
The relative of a deceased patient said, “It based humane care.
far exceeds expectations in the most crucial
moments of hospitalisation, and is very rare The perspectives of the patients are only one
to find anywhere.” One relative mentioned aspect of the documentation. We suggest
that it was beyond her wildest imagination that the next step in taking the project
that the treating team would stand with forward should be to capture the objectivity
them in silence in the critical care unit and of the observations and reflections in a more
solemnly recite a prayer observing the moment structured and reflective manner, so that the

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