The 3 Wishes Project Start Up Guide was developed as a tool to help clinicians to try to improve the quality of the dying experience in ICU and to assist those who are interested in starting the project or adapting it to their own site.
Email for a free copy of the 3Wishes Project Start Up Guide.
3 Objectives
For patients, to dignify their death and celebrate their life
For family members, to humanize the dying process and create positive memories
For ICU clinicians, to foster patient and family-centered end of life care and inspire a deeper sense of our vocation
“My mum definitely wasn’t afraid to die and that made it really so much easier for us to see her at peace with….with everything – she was so at peace because of what the 3 Wishes Project allowed us to do.” - Family Member
“Simple things. Simple gestures. And that’s all you need.” - Family Member
“Just knowing that somebody was there to help...to help you and your family and your family member who is passing - knowing that they’re there, willing to try and make these things happen. That was probably...one of the most important things to me.” - Family Member
“This program honours the everyday hero - someone who may go unnoticed but whose life counted and was a good person.” - Family Member
“It meant the world to me because it gave me memories. And those 3 wishes and the program itself and the staff and the people, they brought him back a little bit by making him a person again.” - Family Member
“Receiving a family frame cloud meant more to us than anything.” - Family Member
“It brings comfort knowing that we’re doing things that are personal to the patient.” - Nurse
“It humanizes and kind of makes you remember why you chose ...to become an RT, or chose to practice in healthcare -- that you’re there to try and help.” - Respiratory Therapist
“It’s a program to be very proud of, actually. It makes me humble to see it happen or to hear about it after the fact. It reminds me of all those reasons why we go into medicine.” - Physician
“The granting of three wishes is the hospital saying, and the staff saying, ‘We care about you’, you know, ‘We care about who you are and your dying loved one. We care about who they are, or were, in their lifetime.’ ” - Chaplain
“By doing this you're actually gaining as a provider. It establishes a greater purpose and meaning of what you do” - Manager
