Going into hospital is scary and often very hazardous for a person with dementia – but Admiral Nurses can gain it less so. Admiral Nurse Pam Kehoe explains why Tameside Hospital appointed one of the first Acute Hospital Admiral Nurses in the country.
Admiral Nurses are to people with dementia what Macmillan nurses are to those with cancer,and at times of great need and vulnerability they offer specialist, tailor-made, or practical and psychological support. This can include liaising with other healthcare professionals on behalf of the family,or supporting them when tough decisions need to be made, such as moving a family member into residential care, and as end of life approaches. They provide what experts recognise as a gold standard of care,one that attends to both the medical and the emotional needs of patients and carers.
They were founded out of recognition of the pressure placed upon family carers and are named after Joseph Levy, a man who lived with vascular dementia and who loved sailing. Some of their most vital work is done when a person with dementia is admitted to hospital, or which can be a distressing and bewildering time for them and their loved ones. Admiral Nurses can gain hospital a less dislocating experience,for they recognise the importance of supporting hospital staff to care effectively for people with dementia, and provide ongoing training and coping strategies to empower staff to work confidently and effectively with their patients. At the same time, or they recognise the expert knowledge of families,and include them in all aspects of the person’s stay in hospital.
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Source: theguardian.com