HATS OFF TO ...
ANNA RILEY SPENDS A DAY WITH HOSPICE NURSE SARAH MITCHELL
Sarah Mitchell, who is a nurse at Dove House Hospice.
With the greatest of respect, she is not someone we hope to meet in our lives, but for those who are sadly in her care, she is one of many people at the hospice doing a fantastic job to make their remaining days the best they can be.
SHE is the person few people would ever say they would want to meet – but the work she does can make all the difference to those she does.
Sarah Mitchell is a nurse at Dove House Hospice, a place many will think of as simply where the sickest people go to end their life.
She is one of a team of doctors, nurses, carers, cleaners, kitchen staff and volunteers who literally work around the clock at the 24-hour care centre to help make life comfortable for its residents.
But if you spend the day with Sarah, you’ll soon find there is more to Dove House, based in Chamberlain Road, east Hull, than sadness, death, and dying.
“People might find it strange, but there is a lot of laughter here,” said Sarah, who helps look after the occupants of 21 beds in the hospice, which includes five single rooms.
“The staff and patients are just very happy most of the time as, ultimately, life is for living, no matter how long you have left.”
Sarah, 37, worked in office jobs for most of her career until she started nursing at age 30. She enjoyed working in a hospice when she volunteered in one, and was drawn back to palliative care after qualifying.
“People say that there is a calling for everyone and I feel that this is mine, and just feel so lucky that I love my job.”
We spent the day with Sarah to find out more about her work, and peek inside a world few people ever want to talk about.
As you walk into the bright, airy charityrun hospice bursting with decorations home-made by residents, it is impossible not to be overwhelmed by just how friendly, warm and welcoming all the staff are, and how relaxed the residents are.
“There is an uplifting energy here that you can feel as soon as you walk in,” said Sarah. “I don’t know how to describe it, but there is a very warm feeling about the place.”
Patients are medically referred to the hospice, and not all patients are admitted for end-of-life care. People who need help controlling the symptoms of an illness can also come in for a set period of time, and patients also come in for respite care before going home again.
But visitors do not have to be residents. As well as the inpatient unit, there is a day centre for people with life-limiting health conditions, replete with a variety of sessions running three days a week that allow people to get involved with arts and crafts and enjoy a three-course meal.
Patients can also benefit from a sensory room at the hospice, as well as music therapy sessions, and can also have quiet time in the York Room or in the gardens outside.
The motto at the hospice is “life is for living” and the staff stress that taboos of talking about death and dying should be broken down.
Irene, who was living in the hospice when we met her, said it was the fourth time she had stayed as an inpatient. “This place is absolutely wonderful,” she said. “When I die, I want to die in here as it is just such a lovely place – the staff are so helpful and nothing is too much trouble for them.”
Sarah says every day is different, with one day being “manic” and passing very quickly, to others allowing her more time to spend keeping residents company.
On a typical early shift, Sarah’s day starts at 7am, with a handover from the night staff.
She will then be assigned up to three patients to specifically care for throughout the day, which involves making sure they have all their medication and meals, and being there for them emotionally as much as they are physically.
Sarah will give residents their medication at around 8am if they are awake, and will then help out with breakfast and check whether they would like a wash.
Throughout the morning she will keep checking on her patients and will often sit with them to hear how they are getting on and to listen to their stories.
“Different people come in all the time and I get to have amazing conversations with them about things that matter to them,” she said.
When lunchtime comes around, residents will be given their medication again by Sarah and served lunch.
The rest of Sarah’s shift will then depend on the needs of the patients she is looking after.
But despite the uplifting atmosphere in Dove House, it is ultimately a hospice – and Sarah says it is not just friends and family who mourn when a resident dies.
“You do become attached to the patients, especially if you get to know people that have previously come in to the hospice for respite care, who then stay with us until the end as you become close,” said Sarah.
“On tough days when patients die, support from colleagues is so important to help you get through the day.
“The staff are like family here and we are all so close and always there for each other.
“You try not to take work home with you, but ultimately we are all human and you do feel sad when a patient dies.
“There is always a shoulder to cry on or a cup of tea to sip on when you need it.”
“There is an uplifting energy here that you can feel as soon as you walk in Sarah Mitchell