Hospice staff celebrate nurses' day
A different approach to patient care is something that sets Hospice Wanganui nursing staff apart from their colleagues. But yesterday, the world tipped its hat to unstinting and dedicated efforts made by nurses everywhere on International Nurses Day.
May 12 is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, recognised as the mother of nursing. And, at Hospice Wanganui, some of the nursing team took a quick break to reflect on their special day. Kevin Baker, clinical services manager at the St John's Hill hospice, said palliative care was a specialist field within nursing and was becoming increasingly recognised and formalised.
"A few years ago this was often regarded as a bit of a cottage industry but it has fast become a very specialised type of care," Mr Baker said.
He said that patients the hospice were generally dealing with meant the nurses had a different approach to care than would be seen in other areas of health care.
"In most cases a cure for their conditions is not feasible, so comfort and providing the best quality of life is what we're about."
He said despite the field they were working in, he did not think the "emotional elements" of their job were more demanding than in a busy medical ward.
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"There's a lot of intense emotional experiences nurses in a medical ward would have to deal with as well.
"We work very hard to keep the nurses emotionally and psychologically safe."
