Following the completion of the PEPA Aged Care Program our priority goal was to develop awareness and understanding of palliative care in our workplace in order to improve care to patients and support to families. A fellow nursing colleague and myself placed ELDAC mouse pads and Guide Booklets at each of the nurse stations to initiate conversation of palliative care amongst not only clinical staff (nurses, MO, allied health), but all employees (kitchen staff, volunteers) within our workplace. The Guide Booklets were subsequently placed in the Palliative Care Resource Box, located on the High Care Ward, to be given to families/friends when required.
At the time of implementing our workplace activity there were changes in management structure and appointed roles. Initially we were concerned that our efforts to bring palliative care to the forefront of workplace conversation would be shadowed by newly appointed staff roles. However the newly appointed NUM has assigned care portfolios to nursing staff, one of which is Palliative Care/Pain Management. We have recently liaised with the Palliative Care/Pain Management RN, sharing knowledge from the PEPA Aged Care Program.
Further to the current improved awareness and understanding of palliative care in our workplace, members of the YDMH executive team will be applying for government grants to fund the implementation of holistic care options to better our palliative patient care and support for families.