Page 31 - SOUTH FLORIDA HOSPITAL NEWS MAY 2022
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Salute to Nursing...                                                                        Sponsored by the







                           Hospice Nurses: Resilient, Remarkable, and Appreciated


                                 Challenges over the past two years during the COVID-  Like many of them, I was drawn to work with the terminally ill more than 16 years
                               19 pandemic have revealed the grit and resilience of our   ago and would not change my career path to any other niche. Now as a general man-
                               valued nurses, especially those who provide hospice serv-  ager, I feel both a duty and an honor to provide leadership and support to our field
                               ices. As end-of-life caregivers, hospice already commands   staff.
                               an extra level of sensitivity. Add in changing patient   In the field, I see you as you withstand the rigors of our tumultuous times. I praise
                               access, visitor restrictions, and mask guidance, and we   you for serving as educators, mentors, patient advocates and, when needed, hand-
                               saw just how much day-to-day nuances shifted our care   holders. I encourage you as we enter a newly open phase to find ways to recover and
                               delivery.                                          revitalize.
                                 Throughout it all, our nurses remained resolved. As   To our nurses, YOU are the heartbeat of VITAS. As you bond with your patients,
                               committed, compassionate clinicians with a can-do atti-  your presence is a significant gift. From all of us at VITAS, we thank you and salute
                               tude, they have navigated these changes with grace.   you for all you do each day, every day.
                               Always keeping the patients and their families first, they   To all of those considering the nursing profession, we need you. When you look in
            BY KATHLEEN        served in ways most never anticipated.             the eyes of a loved one as he or she thanks you for showing empathy to their mother,
             CORONADO            Our nurses stood in for families who could not be by   father, sibling, spouse or other loved one, you experience the value of your role
                               their loved one’s side as their condition worsened. They   beyond measure.
        facilitated video visits to maintain a connection that would soon become a vital mem-  Hospice is a calling. In a culture that seldom speaks of death, you will have the priv-
        ory. They used technology as a substitute for in-person contact, which would never   ilege of sharing your expert guidance with grieving families. You will also listen,
        be their chosen option but was the only one they had. Nurses learned to be strategic   patiently and quietly, as the days go by and patients review their life, leaning on your
        and innovative, using VITAS devices to link loved ones, whether they were working   compassion and care.
        with COVID-19 patients or not.                                             So many avenues will open to you as you draw on your clinical skills and pursue
          Bravery is a term used to describe firefighters, police officers, and soldiers; our   resourceful ways to use them. As a hospice nurse, you can offer in-person or virtual
        nurses have earned this distinction, too. Aware of the possibility of acquiring the virus   contact, or move to an administrative role. You can lead other nurses and be an exam-
        themselves or passing it on to their family members at home, they entered patient   ple to those who ask how you cope and manage during uncertainty. Because as we
        rooms courageously to provide the hospice care needed as patients neared the end of   have seen, our skilled and talented nurses have coped and managed.
        their life. As best as they could, our nurses upheld the VITAS mission of enhancing   Your expertise will always hold value. Your ability to connect with patients and
        the quality of life for those in the end stages of their diseases.        bond with families will always resonate as a memory of thoughtfulness and dignity.
          As a nurse myself, with 23 years of experience, I see 2020-2022 as a watershed   Never forget the unmistakable influence this calling gives you.
        phase in the healthcare industry. I witnessed our caregivers serve with their whole
        hearts while also experiencing the drain that comes with special restrictions and          Kathleen Coronado is VITAS® Healthcare General Manager, Broward.
        increased volume. They knew nothing was more meaningful than serving patients as                         For more information about VITAS, go to VITAS.com.
        they entered the end-of-life phase.                                                               To learn about nursing opportunities, visit careers.VITAS.com









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