Working in the nursing field can be both rewarding and heartbreaking, especially if you work in hospice care. Hospice care is tailored to the needs of each individual but the goal of hospice care is always the same – to provide comfort, dignity, and the highest quality of life and care for the duration of a person’s time.
Hospice care affirms life and involves treating the person and symptoms of the disease, rather than treating the disease itself. Gina Butts, RN Charge Nurse and Supervisor(pictured above on the right), and Carly Anderson, CNA (pictured above on the left), have been part of Noble’s hospice care team for the past 13 years.
“At the bedside, we provide care and support. We can help with physical needs – repositioning, skin care, mouth care, a favorite meal or drink and emotionally and socially we can listen and provide support with interactions, conversations, reminiscing, and utilizing all of the hospice team, including clergy, social workers, and therapeutic recreation staff.”, says Gina.
So what is the biggest difference in working on hospice vs. skilled nursing? For Carly, it’s change. “Working in the skilled nursing area has a lot of change…with people who have different levels of care and meeting new people, their likes and dislikes, etc. In many cases the relationships you build last for years to come. With hospice, you are focused more on comfort and letting them know they aren’t alone. Of course, they have family who visits, but you are being entrusted to take care of them in the end stages of life, you’re there day in and day listening, caring, and comforting them. Knowing I can give someone that level of peace of mind at the end of their life is special.”
As nurses and caregivers working in hospice, Gina and Carly both agree that the most important part of the job is to achieve the wishes of the patient and to support the patient and their family with compassion and attentive care from the entire team. Hospice care is family-centered with the patient and the family involved in decisions around care and treatment. Gina and Carly point out that patients and families find comfort in Noble’s homelike and cozy private rooms which look out over gardens, courtyards, water, and mountains. Families and patients seek peace and serenity and Noble’s 110-acres offer respite and sustenance.
Gina’s career in healthcare began after she took a local EMT course and worked as an ER tech. Once Gina’s twins entered kindergarten, she made the decision to go back to school to become a nurse.
Carly started her career at Noble working in the kitchen, enjoying her relationships with the residents that developed through their love of food, and conversations about their likes, dislikes, allergies, coffee preferences, and even foods that reminded them of their childhood. She warmly recalls one resident telling her, “I like my toast a little burnt with marmalade just the way my mom would make it because she would forget it was in the toaster.” You can make a difference with something as simple as an extra scoop of ice cream or mashed potatoes – it can show some residents just how much you care.
Carly’s decision to enter nursing was influenced by the health challenges that ultimately took both her parents. “Having the experience of losing a loved one and watching someone other than yourself provide the care and quality of life made me feel like I needed to do that for other people.” Carly felt deep inside that nursing was her calling and feels that her experience with her parents informs her passion for delivering hospice care. Carly recognizes the heartache and the blessings of hospice care but feels her parents as angels to help guide the way.
Working in hospice wasn’t something that either woman planned to do yet the career path found them. Not everyone gets a chance to say final goodbyes in life, but in a hospice setting, that’s part of the process. “ To give family one last time to see their loved one, to hold their hand one last time, to have the connection and memory is a gift. It’s what they need and they are forever grateful for having that special time that not everyone gets to have,” says Carly.
COVID has added a whole new element to working in a hospice setting. “There is a sense of anxiousness with families wondering if they are going to be able to see their loved one during this time. The residents are of course concerned with contracting COVID, but it’s our job to keep everyone safe, to make sure the resident and their visiting family are being properly cared for and safety precautions are taken so that everyone has peace of mind but still get to visit,” relays Gina.
Keeping everyone safe is no easy feat. “It’s a balance of following precautions but also making sure you don’t forget the human element. You are there to make someone’s final days more comfortable, but you also need to keep them safe. Above all else, you are the person they are looking to when they are in pain and need a hand to hold when they are scared. We are there to make a difference, not just do a job,” adds Carly.
Working in Nursing during the pandemic has been hard, and it’s no secret there are staffing shortages nationwide. So how does Noble, especially the hospice team, prevent burnout? Teamwork and focusing on the good vs. the bad. Both women agree that Noble has a tremendous team that looks out for each other, like switching shifts when people need a day off or helping out in other units that are short-staffed. “Working alongside these wonderful people, getting to know them, making bonds with my fellow co-workers and the residents is what makes it all worth it,” says Carly.