"When I experienced the loss of my own child, that made me truly want to help patients and their families." Karol Schackner is the Patient Advocate at Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center. She has been helping patients who cannot help themselves for twenty years. Karol knows firsthand the feeling of helplessness when someone you love is sick or dying.

At two and half years old, Karol’s son started having trouble breathing. Her pediatrician sent him home with antibiotics. As only a mother knows, Karol insisted on getting her son admitted to the hospital. Within 3 days, without any explanation or true diagnosis, he was gone. Karol’s feelings of helplessness will never be forgotten. Nobody was there for her. The hospital personnel forced her into an empty room while they attempted to resuscitate her son. During the worst nightmare of any parent, Karol was left in a room totally alone.

"Even though it’s been many, many years, I get that same clutch in my chest every time I encounter a patient who needs my help." First thing every morning at Meadowlands Hospital, Karol grabs the Admissions list and starts her rounds. She introduces herself to each and every patient. She brings them information about Advance Directives. She informs them about the services available to them, like free TV, telephone and internet. Karol’s office is filled with any extra supply a patient may ask for - from magazines to chewing gum. Karol can also be found doing outside errands for patients. As an asset to our patients, Karol is priceless.

The experience she had with her own child has given Karol purpose, which she shares with MHMC every day. "I literally feel the patient’s anxiety and truly LOVE to help them, as corny as that sounds," Karol says. Many patients contact Karol even after they’ve been discharged for some extra advice or added assistance. If you’re lucky enough to know Karol, you’re lucky enough. Karol Schackner, our Patient Advocate, can be reached at 201-392-3510.

One of Karol’s primary functions is to assist patients with ADVANCE DIRECTIVES. An Advance Directive is a document that states the patient’s wishes when the patient cannot speak for themselves. It is actually a gift we give to ourselves and to our families. An Advance Directive takes the responsibility of making end-of-life decisions off your loved ones. An Advance Directive relieves the family of any guilt associated with end-of-life.

You may complete an Advance Directive in two ways. The first is the Living Will. There are three Living Will options:

1. Direct all medically appropriate measures be provided to sustain your life, regardless of your physical or mental condition.

2. Direct the same as number 1, with the exceptions that you do not want done, e.g., surgery, feeding tube, etc.

3. Direct that life-sustaining treatment be withheld or withdrawn if you have an illness, disease or injury, or experience extreme mental deterioration such as there is no reasonable expectation of recovering or regaining a meaningful quality of life, for example Cardiac Resuscitation, Respiratory Support, etc. You would direct that treatment be limited to comfort measures only such as the alleviation of pain, and normal feeding and nutrition.

The second method is to complete a Durable Power of Attorney by listing up to three Health Care Representatives who would speak according to what your wishes are. On the same form you could also declare if you would like to be an organ donor.

When an Advance Directive is completed at Meadowlands Hospital, a copy is placed in the patient's medical record. The patient never has to bring a copy to the hospital again. This copy is retrieved when the patient comes in for treatment by alerting the Medical Records Department or the Patient Representative. Several copies are also given to the patient upon completion so that they could give copies to their Representatives as well as their Doctors.