Scotter Ward is a nurse led ward within John Coupland Hospital a busy community hospital run by Lincolnshire Community Health Services.
On the ward we have two palliative care beds within a dedicated suite. Patients can be referred to the suite for time specific respite care, symptom control and end of life care.
We would like to share a small innovative idea that we have developed that you may wish to adapt and use in your clinical areas.
When a patient sadly dies we have information leaflets that we give to the bereaved relatives. These leaflets reiterate verbal information that we give them that they may not always fully take in due to the circumstance that they are in.
The palliative care link nurses consisting of Sister Donna Phillips and a former staff nurse Marie Powell (who is now working for the local hospice) developed a sleeve that these leaflets can be placed inside in order to make it more discreet for the families at this distressing time.
The sleeves are all made by hand personally by the staff. They are all unique and have different decorative emblems on them but all have the same comforting verse on the front
Donna says 'The idea is a small gesture but we believe it can make such a difference at such significant time for the relatives. The sleeve enables the relatives to keep the leaflets safe and not on view until they feel ready to read them and deal with the procedures that follow the death of a loved one'