I am a Ward Sister at Overgate Hospice and have worked in Hospices for 15 years. I really enjoy this area of Nursing; it is rewarding to know that our care makes a difference to patients and their families.
Palliative care is a great career option and I have developed my skills and knowledge with a Specialist Degree, teaching qualifications and attended courses to keep me up to date. As a Senior Nurse I especially enjoy teaching junior staff and student nurses and help they learn skills to help them in their nursing careers. We have a great team and we have the time to care. Our Nurse to patient ratio means that as RN you can still do hands on care as well as develop your skills and knowledge in Specialist palliative Care.
Sometimes people feel that working in a in Hospice is not for them because it would be too sad, but this is not the case. The role is very satisfying because it is about adding quality to the time patients have and looking at what is important to them at this difficult. time. Patients are often admitted for symptom control and are then be able to be discharged again. For those very ill and nearing the end of their life, we deliver compassionate and dignified care, to support the patient and the whole family. This means attention to the basics of care but also looking at a patient’s wishes. We have had weddings, day outings, special meals in our beautiful garden, sleep overs, pets visiting and cinema nights. I am proud of the team I work with and how they deliver great care and are willing to go the extra mile for patients. Some days can be sad for staff but as a team we support each other.
Teamwork is important at Overgate and as a Nurse I work closely with Doctors, a Family Support team, Complementary Therapists, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Counsellors and Chaplain Kitchen staff, Housekeeping, Office staff and many volunteers. We have an innovative day Hospice at Overgate, and their outreach work means patients can be introduced to Overgate care while they are still at home. Nurses can also get involved in Fundraising and this is good fun and helps raise the money we need to keep the Hospice running.
The last two years of COVID have been a challenge but we have worked hard to keep all our patients and staff as safe as possible and keep our doors open for the people of Calderdale.
For Nurses considering a new direction and career in Specialist Palliative Care I would encourage them to come at work at Overgate. We look for staff with good communication skills, compassion, empathy and a willingness to learn. If you have Palliative Care experience this is welcome, but we can help you learn and develop with an Induction Programme, a Mentor, attending education courses and by working with an experienced team. We value your previous experience in nursing and in life.
If you would like to know more please contact us on 01422 379151 or come along to our Recruitment Day on Saturday 12
th March.
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