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Bilingual Capabilities Are Critical for Nurses

Delivering End-of-Life Hospice Care

Effective communication between ing facility—is provided by nursing staff. at the nursing home or assisted living
nurses and their patients is critical for “The more languages our staff members facility to serve as a translator.
positive health outcomes. It is a chal- can speak, the easier our job is,” agrees Additionally, an on-call medical transla-
lenge particularly evident in South Karen Peterson, senior vice president and tion service is always available.
Florida, an area defined by a variety of chief nursing office at VITAS for 25 years. Another language-related issue occa-
languages and multi-cultural communi- “Some patients can’t even say the word sionally arises in hospice care.
ties. It is also one of the reasons why ‘hospice’ because of the emotional and Alzheimer’s patients and some patients
healthcare providers specifically recruit psychological aspects of language that sur- in the last stages of dying often revert to
and hire nurses who are fluent in more round the dying process. But when our their native tongue—even if it has not
than one language. nurses, families and patients understand been their most recent primary lan-
VITAS® Healthcare provides hospice each other’s languages and cultural guage—because that is where comfort is
care to patients and families throughout nuances, we’re more confident that at the end of life. Nurses who can com-
South Florida from the Palm Beaches to patients are making informed decisions, municate in more than one language can
the Keys. Being able to communicate in BY LAURIE FITZ making the right decisions and receiving help ease end-of-life transitions and sup-
the patient’s native language is a comfort, the best possible care because everyone is port quality of life at the end of life.
and if you can’t, it can be a stressor to the on the same page.” Language goes to the core of care-relat-
patient and the family. If we are able to indicate their preferred language when ed competencies in the healthcare field,
speak a patient’s language and speak to they sign admission forms, and the hos- Language Fluency Is especially hospice care. Cultural under-
their culture, it makes everyone more pice company makes all efforts to match Information and Comforting standing and language are critical parts
comfortable having caregivers in their team nurses and families based on lan- VITAS prefers not to rely on family of our definition of competence. We
homes right from the start. guage fluency and preferences. members to translate medical conversa- match our nurses with our families to
Language proficiency by nurses is tions between nurses and patients, the best of our ability to help us deliver
Highest Demand: important so that patients receive accu- because complex or difficult information high-quality care.
Spanish and Creole rate information about their care. It is might not be interpreted or transmitted
In South Florida, nurses who are flu- uniquely important to the hospice pro- correctly. Sometimes, a family member’s Laurie Fitz is General Manager, VITAS
ent in Spanish and Creole are in highest fession because the majority of end-of- own biases or beliefs might alter the Healthcare of Miami Dade/Monroe.
demand because of the predominance of life care is provided in patients’ homes. nature of the information during transla- For more information about hospice care
Hispanic and Haitian residents, but Even though hospice care is a team tion. or end-of-life care options, call VITAS
VITAS occasionally encounters a need effort, the bulk of one-on-one bedside When necessary, VITAS will rely on Healthcare at (866) 759.6695
for nurses and staff members who are care at any moment—whether in a pri- other team members who are fluent in a or visit VITAS.com.
fluent in Russian. All VITAS patients vate home, nursing home or assisted liv- patient’s language or ask a staff member

‘Going Mobile’: How the Memorial Healthcare System

Improved the Lives of Three Groups with One Program

“Bed rest.” ity and morale-related issue team of anyone at risk of declining due Results
For nearly as long as of the hospital not having to inactivity. Leslie Pollart, DON, reported that
there have been hospi- its nurses and physical ther- No further orders are required to have while two years of comparison data
tals, doctors who prac- apists practice at the top of members, who usually round in groups (which we don’t yet have) are required to
tice in them have includ- their licenses if they were of two, begin visiting patient rooms to draw a statistical picture of the decrease
ed those words in their constantly being called on mobilize them. of patient-related immobility issues, we
standard patient orders. to lift patients. • “Heels for Meals” is a program nurse can report that musculoskeletal prob-
But is prescribing leaders monitor that requires patients lems (such as pain in the caregiver’s
immobility for those Overcoming able to get out of bed to eat do that. By backs) have decreased by 77%. The pro-
who are capable of more Challenges putting heels on the ground, patients gram has also increased employee
really the best medicine? Our mobility team is experience improved mobility, cognition, engagement, resulting in a staff, especial-
Our expertise and expe- made up of 10-12 young well-being, and digestion. ly nurses and PTs, that feels well cared
rience said otherwise, so, adults interested in health- • Family participation is encouraged for. We also continue to challenge doc-
18 months ago, nursing BY MAGGIE HANSEN, care careers that have been and loved ones are requested to bring tors to justify recommendations of bed
implemented a compre- RN empowered with training, sneakers or comfortable shoes from rest when not necessary.
hensive, interdiscipli- patient information, equip- home and to actively participate in a Lastly, our mobility team members
nary “mobility program” at Memorial ment, and tools that log, track, and audit walking plan that is scheduled and chart- benefit from real-world, on-site training,
Regional Hospital that’s benefitting more mobility activities. They also have the ed the same way as with medicine. potentially providing them future
than just the individuals receiving care. support of hospital staff and patient fam- • Tracking progress is now easier with employment within Memorial Health -
ilies, who have come to understand that the placement of hallway markers that care System and giving us a pipeline to
Backstory individuals that get out of bed quicker denote distance, which is recorded in a those who have already proven their
The list of potential problems for are more likely to leave the hospital journal, giving patients something to do commitment to the patient and family-
immobile patients is long and significant, sooner. and increasing accountability to the pro- centered care we pride ourselves on.
including, but certainly not limited to, Here’s how we go about making that gram.
hospital-acquired deep vein thrombosis, happen: Not to be overlooked is the mobility
pulmonary embolisms, and pressure • Training is provided to mobility team team’s use of fun to incentivize patients
ulcers. Often overlooked, however, are members on how to use proper body to take control of this aspect of their Maggie Hansen, Senior Vice President
musculoskeletal injuries that can have mechanics and lift equipment to get recovery. One elderly patient wanted to and Chief Nursing Executive at Memorial
lifelong ramifications when suffered by patients moving. be sung to, and serenaded she was, as a Healthcare System, can be reached at
caregivers trying to get patients up and • Triggers within a patient’s electronic motivator to do something hard and (954) 265-3451 or mhansen@mhs.net.
out of bed. There was also the productiv- medical records automatically alert the potentially uncomfortable.

Often overlooked, however, are musculoskeletal injuries that can have lifelong ramifications
when suffered by caregivers trying to get patients up and out of bed.

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com May 2018 41