Page 13 - Nursing Scope Number 2

6z2 – Developing a Palliative Care Unit
Written by: Santosha Gompha, BSN, RN Unit Manager 6z2
In January of 2017, the staff of 9z1 moved to 6z2 to begin our journey to care for our Palliative patient population. We were excited with the idea of having a unit where patients and families could stay, providing them with a home atmosphere
in an acute hospital setting. We started with four and have expanded to six dedicated Palliative beds on our unit. We have dedicated nurses that are passionate to care for our patient population. The nurses receive ELNEC (End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium) training to provide the patients and their families with optimal care. This specialized training allows the nursing staff to assess the patients’ needs and provide them with, not only medical care, but also emotional and spiritual support. Developing a plan of care centered on the patient wishes is our primary goal. Our Palliative Team consists of Physicians, Nurse Practitioner, Chaplain, Nurses, Mercy Doulas, Fellows, Social Worker, Lawyer and Psychologist all collaborating to provide supportive symptom management.
The uniqueness of our unit helps us to see where health care
is heading today. Families are allowed to stay at the bedside with their loved one through these trying times, giving them the opportunity to fully understand what is happening and ask questions.
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.-Maya Angelou
Using compassion, kindness, and comfort to care for those who are transitioning on can make such a difference, allowing us to step back, take a minute and ful l the request of the person in front of us. Having an area that is dedicated to these principals shows that we are committed to respecting individuals’ beliefs, cultures and religions. I am proud to be a part of this culture change and look forward to see the growth to come.
Palliative Care Team Comforts Their Patients
In addition to providing a comfortable area for the patients and their families to stay, Charge Nurse Shannon Mahar, RN, facilitates making blankets for the patients during their nal days. These blankets bring comfort to the patient during their hospitalization and comfort to the family when the patient passes on.
A good friend works for Matt Urban “Hope Gardens” which is a supported housing program for chronically homeless women right here on the East Side of Buffalo. Many of the women suffer from mental illness and addictions and are very often the
victims of sexual and physical assaults. Most of the women are very familiar with our facility and I thought it would be great
to give them an opportunity to give back to the hospital. The eece material for the blankets was purchased using money donated from some families and friends as well as myself.
The women were taught how to cut and tie the material. The women were so excited to create something so beautiful and meaningful, and they really took pride in their work. The patients and family members really appreciate the personal touch that the blankets give the sometimes sterile looking hospital room.
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