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| The hospice nurse spending Christmas with patients: 'They hold on for that special day' | The hospice nurse spending Christmas with patients: 'They hold on for that special day' |
| (30 days later) | |
| “Cooking the Christmas dinner with my sister, that’s the thing I’m going to miss most. She’ll have to do it on her own this year.” On Christmas morning, Beth Spooner will be at work. Instead of walking her dogs or opening presents with her family, she’ll be spending the day with those for whom this Christmas may be their last. | “Cooking the Christmas dinner with my sister, that’s the thing I’m going to miss most. She’ll have to do it on her own this year.” On Christmas morning, Beth Spooner will be at work. Instead of walking her dogs or opening presents with her family, she’ll be spending the day with those for whom this Christmas may be their last. |
| Spooner is a senior hospice-at-home nurse at Rennie Grove hospice care, a charity providing care and support for adults and children with life-limiting illnesses. This Christmas, she’ll be working from early morning to 4pm, visiting the homes of patients nearing the end of their lives. The charity, which supports patients and families in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, offers 24-hour care, seven days a week, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. | Spooner is a senior hospice-at-home nurse at Rennie Grove hospice care, a charity providing care and support for adults and children with life-limiting illnesses. This Christmas, she’ll be working from early morning to 4pm, visiting the homes of patients nearing the end of their lives. The charity, which supports patients and families in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, offers 24-hour care, seven days a week, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. |
| If someone dies at Christmas, that sticks in people's minds forever | If someone dies at Christmas, that sticks in people's minds forever |
| Spooner is one of a team of nurses who will be visiting terminally ill patients on Christmas Day, to help them manage their condition, provide pain relief and support their families. Christmas is a particularly difficult time of year to lose a loved one. “If someone dies in or around Christmastime, that sticks in people’s minds forever,” she says. “We do get sad and we will shed a tear with our families, if it’s appropriate.” But she says her work is about being with families and supporting them in the best way possible. | Spooner is one of a team of nurses who will be visiting terminally ill patients on Christmas Day, to help them manage their condition, provide pain relief and support their families. Christmas is a particularly difficult time of year to lose a loved one. “If someone dies in or around Christmastime, that sticks in people’s minds forever,” she says. “We do get sad and we will shed a tear with our families, if it’s appropriate.” But she says her work is about being with families and supporting them in the best way possible. |
| Offering patients and families emotional support at such a poignant time is an essential part of Spooner’s work. “Death has become quite a taboo subject so people are very unsure of what to do, what the process is, and they’re very fearful of it. It’s really important to offer that psychological support,” she says. “It’s about guiding families through it and pointing at what is normal.” | Offering patients and families emotional support at such a poignant time is an essential part of Spooner’s work. “Death has become quite a taboo subject so people are very unsure of what to do, what the process is, and they’re very fearful of it. It’s really important to offer that psychological support,” she says. “It’s about guiding families through it and pointing at what is normal.” |
| Everyone in the NHS dreads working at Christmas – but it fills me with pride | Everyone in the NHS dreads working at Christmas – but it fills me with pride |
| Christmas and New Year are busy periods for Spooner and her colleagues. Patients will often be determined to spend the significant days with their loved ones, and finally let go afterwards. “On Boxing Day we can have quite a few deaths, because people hang on for Christmas and then they feel able to just let go.” Spooner remembers a patient who desperately wanted to spend New Year’s Eve with his family, did so, and then died on New Year’s Day. “Patients are very strong,” she says. “They will hold on for that special day.” | Christmas and New Year are busy periods for Spooner and her colleagues. Patients will often be determined to spend the significant days with their loved ones, and finally let go afterwards. “On Boxing Day we can have quite a few deaths, because people hang on for Christmas and then they feel able to just let go.” Spooner remembers a patient who desperately wanted to spend New Year’s Eve with his family, did so, and then died on New Year’s Day. “Patients are very strong,” she says. “They will hold on for that special day.” |
| There are practical difficulties, too. Because many pharmacies and GP surgeries are closed, it can be a challenge to provide patients with the effective and immediate care they may need. “If we need to get more medication, it can mean running around trying to find an open pharmacy,” explains Spooner. Finding a GP out of hours can also be difficult: if a patient dies at Christmas, it can take up to 10 hours for a GP to come and verify the death. | There are practical difficulties, too. Because many pharmacies and GP surgeries are closed, it can be a challenge to provide patients with the effective and immediate care they may need. “If we need to get more medication, it can mean running around trying to find an open pharmacy,” explains Spooner. Finding a GP out of hours can also be difficult: if a patient dies at Christmas, it can take up to 10 hours for a GP to come and verify the death. |
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| While she’ll be missing out on some family festivities, including her much-loved Christmas dog walk and seeing her nephews and nieces excited about what Santa might have brought, Spooner is grateful to spend the day supporting those who need it most at this time of year. “Whichever family I go to on Christmas Day, they are always very welcoming and lovely,” she says. “It’s just really lovely to support people and know you are making a really difficult time just a little bit easier for them.” | While she’ll be missing out on some family festivities, including her much-loved Christmas dog walk and seeing her nephews and nieces excited about what Santa might have brought, Spooner is grateful to spend the day supporting those who need it most at this time of year. “Whichever family I go to on Christmas Day, they are always very welcoming and lovely,” she says. “It’s just really lovely to support people and know you are making a really difficult time just a little bit easier for them.” |
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