The Role of the FCC

1
Donation is Family Care

• The Role of the FCC

Maria I. Bourne Family Care Coordinator
2
Who Are FCCs, and What Do We Do?

• We are a continuum of care.
• Together with hospitals, advocate for families
• Assess familys understanding
• Collaborate with Hospital Resources to best
  support the family
• Engage the family in conversation about their
  loved one. We HONOR their story.
• Transition to donation when appropriate

3
It All Starts with Us

• Initial impression in the ER sets the stage for
  the rest of the experience
• Early, excellent family support
• Compassionate Physicians and Nurses
• Involvement of Social Worker and Chaplain
• Admissions, Unit Secretaries, Security
• Huddle working together to set a tone for the
  best possible process for the family. It is
  their Final Goodbye

4
Families Tell Us What They Need to Know

• Families need to know that the medical team is
  working hard and hoping for the best outcome even
  though the injuries are serious and they may not
  survive.

• Taking away all hope for recovery from the very
  beginning may anger families as they may feel the
  staff has given up and wont do everything
  possible to save them. This may lead to
  distrust, frustration and confrontation later on.

5
Families Teach Us

• Identify LNOK power family dynamics
• Establish a connection
• Build trust
• Identify and address issues caused from a broken
  process
• Provide technical information and education

6
Helping Families,Saving Lives

• Judge timing/pacing
• Support and normalize familys grief
• Address and affirm religious and cultural views
• Help family transition from loved one being
  present to past
• Provide ongoing support

7
Care of the Donor Family

• Provide The Next Few Days Bereavement Packet
• Offer a Memory Box, Locks of Hair
• Offer Handprints and invite family to be a part
  of this process.
• Offer support to family friends as management
  of the donor continues
• Update families at the end of the case
• Child Teen Grief Specialist available to
  support families both on site and via phone

8
Our Philosophy

• Adopted Dr. Alan Wolfelts idea of companioning
  a bereaved family
• We are not the experts on grief we will take the
  familys lead to understand what we can do to
  support them
• We will not lead the family in any direction, but
  be with them through their journey

9
The We

• Donation is Family Care. We have to remember
  that this is the most horrible day for them.
  There is nothing that we can do or say to mend
  their broken hearts, but together WE can give
  them the gift of peace by providing compassionate
  care. The hardest thing for families is not
  making a decision regarding donation, the hardest
  decisions have already been made, whether it is
  to withdraw treatment or having to accept the
  brain death.

10
The We

• WE have to believe that donation is the right
  thing to do. You have to have your own
  conviction or families will see right through it.
  
• WE are here to empower the potential donor family
  
• WE are here on behalf of recipients. WE are
  their voice.
• Together WE can save lives.