Nurses are one of the first and last people that patients meet when they enter the home health and palliative care system. These compassionate and skilled individuals play a vital role in a hospice as a part of the care team and undertake many care activities for their patients. From physical care to unwavering compassion, these healthcare workers create a bond with their patients that lasts until the end of their days. Understanding a hospice nurse’s role can help provide you with a more holistic view of the system as you research end-of-life care:
Direct care
Most hospice nurses are responsible for providing direct, hands-on care for their patients. This is especially true when it comes to visiting nurses and case managers. Whether a patient needs wound care, medication, or careful documentation of vital signs, nurses take the frontline in ensuring that their patients are free from any symptoms or pain.
Spiritual and emotional support
As patients and nurses spend quality time together, they start to gain intimate knowledge of their patient’s journey toward the end of their life. This forms a unique and powerful emotional bond, which eventually results in patients viewing their nurses as trustworthy confidants. They often share their deepest fears or most precious memories, revealing things they might never have told their family members.
This helps hospice nurses share beautiful bonding moments with their patients while gleaning information that can help them provide better care and support for the patient. For example, a patient that has certain fears surrounding death and the hereafter can talk to their nurse, who can enlist a hospice chaplain to help them address their fears.
Psychosocial support
The journey towards the end of a patient’s life can be rather lonely, especially if they don’t have many close family members or friends who are willing to stay with them during their last days. Hospice nurses have a loving and compassionate disposition and make sure to provide their patients with a gentle social connection and a sense of belonging.
While it might seem rather simple, the power of a strong bond can be phenomenal. Sharing a cup of coffee or administering medication during routine visits can help nurses calm their patients and make them feel comfortable.
Get in touch with expert end-of-life care nurses today
Do you believe you or your loved one can benefit from home-care health services and hospice? Hospice Home Care has got you covered. They provide top-notch end-of-life care services in California at affordable rates. They aim to provide comfort and support to patients and caregivers by educating patients and families about palliative care at home.
Contact them for more details or get a free consultation to discuss your needs.