Palliative Care on Macalister Ward, Ringwood Private Hospital

By Attracta Gorman,  Nurse Unit Manager of the Macalister Ward at Ringwood Private Hospital.

Palliative care is person and family centered and is provided to an individual with an active, progressive, advanced disease, who has little or no prospect of cure and who is expected to die. The primary goal of palliative care is to optimize quality of life. (Palliative Care Australia).

Comprehensive cancer care is the focus of Ringwood Private Hospital (RPH) and we are fortunate to have dedicated palliative care beds with experienced and trained nurses to facilitate excellent patient care during the phases of palliation.

What is important to us?

Treating patients and their families with respect, empathy, compassion and dignity are all essential components to palliative care, as is a positive presence of warmth and connection with an attitude and environment of caring. Furthermore, excellent communication is key in dealing with patients and families during end of life care including active listening and a willingness to engage in meaningful discussions especially around decision making. At Ringwood Private, we pride ourselves on going above and beyond for our patients and families. 
 

 

Our staff also have the knowledge and skills to provide optimal care in this specialised area and recognize the importance of supporting each other when dealing with difficult situations. 

On a personal level, empathy is the driving force behind my role. Simply putting myself in my patients and families shoes, enables me to strive to provide the best care I possibly can. A recent example of an empathetic approach was in the facilitation of a family’s wish to take their mother/wife home to die. This was prioritized and made possible whilst supporting the very distraught family deal with her sudden deterioration post a recent diagnosis. The patient died at home with her family four days later. We received the following text in response to our expressed condolences: 

 

What is available at Ringwood Private Hospital?

We are very fortunate to have a cancer support nurse who has a Masters in counselling and whose role is vital in dealing with all aspects of cancer care. Furthermore, we have a social worker who is also a counsellor and is very involved with complex discharge planning. We also closely liase with our palliative care consultant and Eastern Palliative Care.

In 2020, the End of Life Working Party was established to determine how we can best meet this comprehensive care standard. There is representation from our palliative care consultant, social worker, cancer support nurse in addition to the unit champions. We conducted a needs analysis of staff to determine what they would like to see implemented or improved. This generated ideas and we are currently exploring animal therapy, art and music therapy and providing further education around advanced care planning and voluntary assisted dying.

 

Day to day practicalities become vitally important especially as the patient is at the end of life phase. Providing families with unlimited visiting, amenities such as sofa beds, access to food and drink and communal areas to be with family are viewed as important for relatives and was hugely challenging throughout Covid restrictions.

The establishment of the end of life toolkit has provided us with valuable resources for staff patients and families. These include information on understanding grief, preparing for end of life and care after death among others.

Working in palliative care is immensely rewarding. I think this is due to the skills that are required; good listening, compassion, empathy and the provision of relief from physical, psychological and existential suffering. This is what good nursing looks like. I feel very fortunate to be a part of a well-supported unit that strives to give the best possible outcome during very stressful times.