Bridget Osborn

Background

About Bridget Osborn

My heart is in hospice work. I started my nursing career working inpatient bone marrow and stem cell transplant where I witnessed such bravery and courage in my patients undergoing intense treatment. During my time working critical care bone marrow stem cell transplant I did witness many hospital deaths as the treatment can be toxic to many body systems and reoccurrence of their cancer happened to many as well. Many patients just wanted to be at home once they knew they were dying. For this reason it is healing for me to help people who have a life limiting illness stay in their home and help prevent any more hospitalizations. After years of hospice work I came to understand that sometimes agitation or restlessness at end of life was related to spiritual pain (meaning pain, relatedness pain, forgiveness pain or hopelessness pain). I took the four part series of the sacred art of living and dying over two years and learned a great deal that I use daily in my work. I am surprised how often it is spiritual pain that is causing symptoms at end of life after I have ruled out all physical possibilities that could contribute to their symptoms. Every person is an individual and has different life experiences that come up when facing the end of their life. I have helped families heal old wounds in just short conversations that needed to happen before their loved one died. I have witnessed a previous restless agitated patient suddenly become calm and peaceful after the old emotional wounds were acknowledged and forgiveness took place. I love helping my patient and their family through the whole process and educating family caregivers to ensure they have the confidence and support to keep their loved one at home.