To the Hands & Hearts that Care
Afamous expression says: “Not all heroes wear capes.” This National Nursing Week, this statement is especially true. At Victoria Hospice, our heroes wear many things, including a compassionate, caring smile.
Our Board of Directors, volunteers and staff would like to thank our nursing team for the care, compassion and kindness they extend to patients, families and to each other every day.
National Nursing Week is a chance to acknowledge this amazing team and show our appreciation for them, especially over the last few months. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all areas of our lives, and especially the lives of those on the frontlines. With safety protocols in place such as physical distancing and face masks, our nursing team’s ability to connect with patients and families is greatly challenged.
“We care for the whole person and their family,” says Tracy McConnell, RN. “We love to really connect with family and friends and learn more about our patient with shared stories.”
“It’s been a very difficult time because we are not accustomed to putting restrictions on our visitors.”
Thanks, in part, to generous community donations, Victoria Hospice is still providing quality end-of-life care for patients and families while following provincial health guidelines. Continued support from our community buoys the spirit of our care team during a stressful time, as do the many small acts of kindness such as banging on pots and pans every night.
“I heard you as I stood at our staff window feeling exhausted from a long day,” said one of our nurses. “I felt the love, the support. Thank you from the bottom of my tired but grateful heart.”
Countless gestures of kindness have helped to lift our nurses’ spirits. These include a donation of homemade scrub bags from a local community group, the creation of ‘smile buttons’ so the smiling faces of our frontline staff can be seen while wearing masks, and donations from staff and volunteers to provide coffee and treats for our frontline team.
Our nursing team rises to the challenge and continues to provide the best possible end-of-life care. We thank our Hospice nurses for their courage, strength and resiliency every day of the year.
So, when you stand on your deck and bang pots at night, know that we’re doing the same. It may seem small, but it’s a way to say thank you to our heroes this National Nursing Week. victoriahospice.org