When Deena McDougal’s mom was dying in the hospital, it looked that nurses and doctors did not want to talk about the situation.
It’s a style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”Being an nurse, I knew my mother was in the process of dying,” McDougal said. “To not have another healthcare team fail to provide this information was a challenge for me. .”
McDougal was an RN in Juneau for fifteen years. She’s been in the emergency department as well as in surgical clinics. She’s now one of around 25 employees in Bartlett Regional Hospital’s brand-new hospice and home health department.
With her brand new position she speaks with families about what to expect if their loved ones pass away and the best way to deal with pain and other signs during the interim.
The span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”It’s likely be a reality for everyone It’s okay,” she said. “I love the fact that we can talk about it because it’s real and it’s not hidden and everyone who is affected. .”
Bartlett began providing patients with home health and hospice in the month of October. It’s the first time that these services are available in the past since Catholic Community Service stopped providing these services in the fall of last year.
The span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”It was felt throughout the community as well as at the hospital, and it was felt in the health clinics” stated Amanda Williams Bartlett’s home health clinic manager. “It’s certain that this is something that’s needed. .”
The program for home health provides regular in-home medical care for those who are recovering from an operation or illness. The care offered may consist of assistance from physical therapists, nurses in home health, as well as social health workers.
Hospice is a treatment option for patients who have an expected life expectancy of six months or less. Nurses can assist in managing the symptoms of pain Chaplains and nurses can offer spiritual assistance.
Heather Richter, the coordinator of the hospice program, explained that the objective is to help both the patient as well as their caregivers, family members and friends.
“span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”As nurses the first thing you do is to correct something that’s not working,” Richter said. As a hospice nurse, she added the staff should ask themselves “Is the patient in a good place? Are the family members at ease with the changes going on with the patient? What can we do to create the most tranquil transition possible? ?”
The staff are currently treating four patients in the home health setting in addition to four patients who are hospice on Friday as per hospital spokesperson Erin Hardin. Since the hospital began seeing patients in the last month the hospice patient who was treated has died.
“span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”It was a lovely passing that was exactly the kind of passing that the patient had wanted at the beginning of her speech,” Richter said. “And his family couldn’t be more thankful and grateful. .”
Bartlett is looking for an occupational therapist as well as a physical therapy therapist for its home health program as well as Chaplains in the hospice care program.
“Right now we’re supported by Bartlett therapy team however, we already sense the huge need we’re likely to be able to meet,” Williams said.
The hospital has raised more than $18,000 to fund the new program through the event held on Thursday. This money will fund training, equipment, and other expenses as the program is able to attract more patients.
