The process of passing over
End of life care at home with a private nurse
Note: Nursing care is always in conjunction with and under the supervision of your Specialist or GP.
Services offered can include:
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Coordinating a team of the client's friends and family to support during the passing over process. Preparing the team for what is ahead and how best to support at each step of the way.
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Preparing family member and those close to the person to understand the practical changes that take place in the passing over process
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After death support and follow up with the family and friends
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Coordinating and collaborating with GPs and healthcare services – liaising between the client, medical specialist, and other health care professionals
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Sourcing medical equipment like hospital beds for your home, commode chairs etc
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Scheduling appointments
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Accompanying clients to GP and specialist appointments
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Overseeing medication usage/management
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Monitoring medical status changes
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Attending to daily living activities and requirements
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In home respite care
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Overnight care
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Wound care and wound dressing
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Personal nursing care including nail trimming and bowel program supervision
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Supporting the client to decipher medical information
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Supporting clients as they undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
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Hospital to Home Care
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Palliative Care
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End of life Care
Case Study
Claudia is a 40 year old woman diagnosed with a fast growing cancer. She knows that her lifespan is limited so she requests a private nurse to get a team of her friends and family together to support her achieve the best quality care at home. The private nurse, in consultation with Claudia, gets the team together and then acts as the liaison person between Claudia and the team. Rather than Claudia having to educate the team as to what will be needed her private nurse can communicate with family and friends how they can best support. Elizabeth's care also incorporates support for family and friends, if they need to debrief or require a greater understanding of the process, are experiencing grief or are having trouble coming to terms with a loved one's diagnosis.
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Claudia is in regular communication with her GP and palliative care team and her private nurse helps her to make sense of all the information she is getting from them, supports her to implement the advice and educate the team who will be helping her.
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As Claudia's bodily condition deteriorates the private nurse supports her with showering, dressing and going to the bathroom as required.
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During the second week of her diagnosis Claudia goes to a specialist appointment to find that she will have to go to the hospital for emergency surgery later that day. The private nurse takes her straight to the hospital, oversees her hospital admission and when she is settled in hospital goes and gets her clothing and other essentials for her hospital stay. She also informs her family and friends, as well as her GP, with regard to what is happening.
After surgery Claudia has a wound that needs to be dressed daily, which is attended to by the private nurse.
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As the cancer progresses and the organs start to break down, drains are attended to as well as anything else that is within the scope of nursing practice.
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As Claudia's disease process progresses Elizabeth supports her with personal care as well as supporting the friends and family who are her direct carers.