Care of the Dying

What do you want to know?

What do you think you should know?

What do you already know?

How can you grow that?

Nursing is one of the most difficult of arts.

Compassion may provide the motive,

But knowledge is our only working power.

M Adelaide Nutting (1858 – 1948)

Hospice Frameworks of Care

i

Social/

Whanaungatanga

Physical/Tinana Emotional/Hinengaro

Spiritual/Wairua

The one thing people need to be assured of, if they are walking along this route

for the first time, is that they will not be left to fend for

themselves.

Our job is to walk the path with each other.

Draft National Specialist Palliative Care Service Specifications

Interdisciplinary Multidisciplinary Vs

•  The nurse relationship is an important part of the healing relationship

•  It is crucial

Together with knowledge and expertise this relationship is the “essence” of palliative

care nursing

Good palliative care enables nurses

to return to the root of our ability to care fully

for people in a holistic manner.

Mary Vachon

“They said there was “nothing to do” for this young man

who was “end stage”. He was restless and short of breath;

he couldn’t talk and looked terrified.

I didn’t know what to do, so I patted him on the shoulder, said

something inane and left.

At 7 am he died.

The memory haunts me. I failed to care for him properly because I was ignorant.”

A young clinician who later became an palliative care expert.

“Some days I feel “I don’t really have anything to give today” – but there’s

always something to give” Hospice nurse

“It is one of the most rewarding areas of

nursing” Hospice nurse

People you are looking after are real –

in that their façade is stripped away from

them. Hospice nurse

People ask “How can you do that type of

nursing?”

I reply “How can you not?”

Hospice nurse

“You only get one shot at helping that person and

that family thru it” Hospice nurse

How do I do the best for these people?

“Dying is a part of living – it is a natural thing”

Hospice Nurse

“Its about them running the ship……being in

control of their symptoms”

Hospice Nurse

It’s about teaching people to live well rather than

only dying well Palliative Medical Specialist

“Being invited into their homes….witnessing their

care at home ” Hospice Nurse

“Having the opportunity to care for the family as well during this time”

Hospice Nurse

What is it like to be there when someone leaves this

world?

What are the dead like?

Quiet still calm

peaceful

But they still are what they

always were

“You matter because you are you, and you matter until the last moment of

your life.” Cecily Saunders

“It’s such a fine line between trying to be emphatic and care about them and also not take it

home to your own life.

It seems like you have to do something to kind of separate

yourself from it.” Home care nurse

Learning to deal with our own loss and grief, coming in touch with our wounded healers and spiritual

selves, will help us to continue to survive and thrive.

Mary Vachon

Lazarus

For my patients……….

And myself….