Care workers win end of life care awards

With Dying Matters Awareness Week taking place next week this #GoodNewsFriday we hear from two care workers who won awards for end of life care.

Michelle Quinn, Deputy Manager, Westwood Lodge and Sarah Smith, Home Administrator at Ashton View, both part of HC-One recently won awards at the Wigan Borough Palliative and End of Life Care Learning Hub Awards.

We spoke to them about their award wins and their experience providing end of life care.

Michelle Quinn

Skills for Care (Sfc): Tell us more about your award win at the Wigan Borough Palliative and End of Life Care Learning Hub Awards 2022

Michelle Quinn (MQ): The award I won was the 'Nursing assistant of the year award'. The shortlisting process is votes by your peers and input from the hospice in your care home team, I was very surprised with the award and was not expecting to win. I've won this award previously a couple of times also.

SfC: Tell us about your experience working in social care and providing palliative care?

MQ: I've worked in the care sector for eight years and have progressed within my role from care assistant to senior carer, to nursing assistant, then non-clinical unit manager and I'm now in a new role of deputy home manager. Within the home we have a lot of palliative patients and work closely with the hospice team. We attend regular training which helps to progress our skills in this field, including signs and symptoms  and how to speak with families. Over the years I've worked here, I feel my skills have progressed, and I'm compassionate, empathetic, considerate and helpful. I feel we try and do whatever we're required to do to make people's last few days as comfortable as possible but also to support their families as well.

SfC: What are some of the greatest challenges providing end of life care?

MQ: I feel some of the greatest challenges are helping to support families, they can really struggle with what is happening and want us to try and stop their pain. We have to explain we have procedures we need to follow and sometimes , they want it doing straight away, which is understandable as we don't want to see anybody suffering.

SfC: What are the biggest rewards of providing end of life care?

MQ: Making that person's last few days/hours comfortable and  pain free, and having families present so they can spend time with there family members. Receiving feedback thanking us for everything we've done for the patient as well as looking after the family, it can be one of the most difficult times in people's lives losing a family member so for them to thank us is a real honour and privilege.

SfC: What do you hope Dying Matters Awareness Week might achieve in raising greater awareness of end of life care?

MQ: I hope it raises awareness of all the training which is available, the acts of kindness and compassion given to all our residents at the end of life, and what an amazing job all the staff do within the sector.

Sarah Smith

Skills for Care (Sfc): Tell us more about your award win at the Wigan Borough Palliative and End of Life Care Learning Hub Awards 2022 

Sarah Smith (SS): I won the 'Non-clinical staff of the year award'. We were given voting boxes in the home for us to nominate colleagues we felt were deserving of recognition for their contributions to high standard end of life care.

SfC: Tell us about your experience working in social care and providing palliative care?

SS: I've worked within the care setting for the past 15 years, starting as a care assistant prior to taking my administrator role. This experience helps me engage with families and support my colleagues in the home when people are on the palliative care pathway. I'll always support the care team when we have residents on end of life care, I'll sit and hold their hand whilst we await family coming in so they're not left alone.

SfC: What are some of the greatest challenges providing end of life care?

SS: Our residents and their relatives become an extension of our families, to see them going through such difficult times can be hard. Anything we can do to make sure the person and their families are comfortable and well cared for throughout the process brings so much pride to what we do.

SfC: What are the biggest rewards of providing end of life care?

SS: To be there for residents and their relatives at the end of life to make their experience one to look back at and feel everything was done properly and to a high standard and not to feel things weren’t relaxed and comfortable for the person. The care doesn’t stop at the death of a resident it's also the after care of the relatives that are left behind. Offering support services and just a friendly face or hug.

SfC: What do you hope Dying Matters Awareness Week might achieve in raising greater awareness of end of life care?

SS: I hope it will raise awareness of the importance of good end of life care planning and how this can contribute to comfortable person centred care at the end of life.

Well done to Michelle and Sarah on their awards!

If you have a good news story to share, send it to marketing@skillsforcare.org.uk

Find out more about end of life care on our webpage.

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