BC grad provides compassionate care during difficult times

John Lochmann

Brazosport College nursing graduates are helping patients throughout the country and in a large number of differing healthcare fields. Some can be found in ER departments, others in hospitals or private clinics, and even more in a variety of other medical disciplines.

John Lochmann, a member of BC’s 2013 Associate Degree of Nursing class, falls into this latter category. He is a Houston-area Hospice nurse.

Lochmann provides nursing care for terminally ill patients and helps them live as comfortably as possible with the least amount of pain during their final days.

Obviously, this is a profession that would be difficult for many people, but Lochmann takes pride in his ability to provide compassionate care during these painful situations.

“I was a paramedic and I’ve been in the ICU. I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that people are alive today because of the work I’ve done,” he said. “But I’ve realized that end of life is just as important as saving lives. It’s rewarding to be able to give people dignity, respect and comfort as they are facing something incredibly scary and isolating.”

As a Hospice nurse, Lochmann has encountered the affects of the COVID-19 Coronavirus and admits it’s been a heartbreaking experience.

“It has definitely made things more challenging, especially with the patients who are COVID positive, because they aren’t really letting the families interact very much,” he said. “It’s a far cry from how Hospice is supposed to work. As a result, the role of a Hospice nurse only increases because now we have to coordinate with the family in a way we’ve never had to do before.”

To date, Lochmann has had five COVID-19 patients, and he’s witnessed things he will never forget. He’s seen how the disease has ravaged bodies, how it can spread through a lack of social distancing and how it can shatter families in a blink of an eye.

For Lochmann, being a nurse — and, in particular, a Hospice nurse — isn’t just a job. It’s a passion and a calling. Although he didn’t envision working in Hospice when he applied for BC’s nursing program nearly a decade ago, he truly believes he is exactly where he needs to be.

“I became a nurse for a reason,” Lochmann said. “It’s a different skillset, but everyone has their own specialty. The same type of person who is good under pressure is also good around intense emotions. I’m here to provide comfort in a situation that is very, very painful and I strive to provide that.”

As for getting through the current pandemic, Lochmann’s biggest piece of advice is to have patience and treat each other with respect.

“Trust that the precautions we are taking, the recommendations that we are giving and the care that we are providing is the very best that we can do,” he said. “We all need to work together to get through this. Just be patient and kind to as many people as you can.

“We are all in this together.”