Lessons

It is official. I dislike nursing homes. I am not going to delve in to the politics surrounding the death traps but I am just not keen on them. I suppose they are like any other care facility, you get some good and some bad. However, I only ever seem to turn up to the most horrendous nursing homes you could ever imagine!

I had spent the best part of my Friday with a palliative care nurse specialist and so far so good. I had met two patients who were having regular reviews and emotional support, and both meetings went extremely well. The last patient of the morning was an elderly lady who had been referred to the palliative care team from a nursing home.

We were led through a maze of corridors to the patients room where we were greeted by an odd looking lady. Why does she look so... oh dear god, don't tell me she's gone before we arrived!

We approached the patient's bed side with caution, looking listening and feeling. To our surprise she took a breath. A sigh of relief made its way around the room and we proceeded to change her syringe driver. Sadly, we concluded that she would not last the night.

I suppose it is meetings like this that make you come away and think long and hard about how you would feel in that situation. If it was a loved one, if it was you even. By dwelling your not helping anyone, and I think I am slowly learning that lesson.

Naive

When we are in the confines of the hospital we take it for granted that we can just 'predict' what is going on in the patients home. 'Assume' that we understand how they live and the comings and goings of family members. It is after all our job to report on patient's who we feel need a little helping hand from social services right?

Since experiencing community nursing these 'predictions' and 'assumptions' have been scrapped. I have realised, the hard way, that nothing will ever prepare you for the kind of ways people live in their own homes. I guess you have a genuine belief that everyone lives the same way that you do. You then find yourself in a bit of a muddle when you come across someone who doesn't.

We were on our daily call out to an elderly gentleman who needs assistance with his insulin injections. My mentor kindly provided a little sit rep for me before leaving the car.

'You know how to give insulin injections?'

'oh yes..'

'ok good. Just to warn you, this gentleman opens the door in his underpants. I hope that he doesn't today but you never know. Also, he is very unkempt so your feet will stick to the floor, and try and ignore the overwhelming smell of stale urine.'

Why oh why did she have to tell me that?!

We entered the flat, and just as she had told me, my feet stuck to the floor as if the carpets were made from syrup. The smell of old urine mixed with the humidity of the flat as you walked in was not just overwhelming but it was lingering, clinging to my uniform and my hair. I just wanted to get out.

The next day I was faced with numerous bed bound patients. They had carers but for the majority of the day they were confined to their hospital supplied bed. Unable to get up to use the toilet, or to quench their thirst with a glass of water. These people were truly alone.

I have another 3 weeks left, so lets see what other revelations come to light.