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Karen Taylor Director of In-Patient Services
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"People are often surprised when they visit the Hospice to find such a welcoming and warm environment. They are reassured to find a very positive place with much laughter where care and support is extended to the whole family. This is due in no small part to the work of the Hospice nursing team."
Karen Taylor is responsible for the Martlets nursing staff. Karen has been with the Martlets since day one and has worked in palliative care nursing for over ten years. "Palliative care has really improved over the years," says Karen. "We can offer patients more choice in their care and this in turn provides a challenging but fulfilling work environment for staff. Ethical challenges, however, continue to increase in this field of care as end-of-life treatment options increase.
We focus on the quality of life for our patients, tailoring our care to their needs and wishes. We work with them to achieve their goals within the reality of their situation. By relieving their symptoms and their pain we can free them to live fully in the time that is left.
Our nursing staff get a great deal of satisfaction from working here. Some are a little apprehensive when they arrive but find that they really appreciate having the time to provide high quality care for their patients. They enjoy working closely with a smaller number of patients and their families.
Extreme exhaustion and weakness are common problems in palliative care. Combined with specific disease-related symptoms, this means that many of our patients require highly skilled nursing to meet there physical needs.
We see all sorts of patients here, from the young to the very old. No day is the same because individuals are all unique. However, it is emotionally demanding and we provide a lot of training and support to help people cope."
