Beaumond House Hospice Care, Newark, talking dying matters during the national hospice week

Beaumond House Hospice Care is taking the opportunity to reflect on the conversations surrounding death, dying and future wishes, but most importantly — being brave in having these conversations.

Hospice Care Week takes place next week, and is a chance to celebrate hospice care nationwide, and the amazing work that is being done to make sure everyone can benefit from excellent end of life care

As such, some of the staff members at the hospice have shared their own personal experiences.

Joanne Erwin, a registered nurse, said: “I am one of the nurses at Beaumond House in-patients.

“I qualified as a nurse 30 years ago.

“I spent my first 24 years working in hospital and then a nursing home. I have worked at Beaumond House since 2016.

“The thing I love the most about working at Beaumond House is the outstanding compassionate way the patients and their families are cared for, the team are just brilliant, we laugh and cry together.

“I have learnt to be a much more open and empathetic nurse, I might not always feel that I have said or done the right thing, but I will always try my best to see things through the patient’s perspective.

“Right now, I’m having treatment for blood cancer. My cancer is not terminal, but also not curable, only treatable, my situation has made think a lot, I also talk a lot and I feel this really helps.

“I am concentrating on living my best life right now, but I have also put much thought into my wishes for my own end of life care (just in case). I would really like to encourage people to be brave and start the conversation about death, dying and your own end of life wishes.’’

Karen Brown, clinical nurse lead said: “I have been working at the hospice for eight years and I have had the privilege to care for so many patients and their families during this time, each on their own individual journey so personal to them. One of the main things I have learnt over my time at the hospice, is there really only one chance to get it right, and the only way we will ever know what’s right for those patients and their families, is if we ask. We often feel there is a barrier, talking to patients about their wishes at the end of life. Of course, talking about death and dying can be a sensitive topic, but it shouldn’t be a taboo one.”