We are listening – changing the environment

Hello my name is...

Lise, I’m the Senior Nurse for Emergency Care for Hairmyres Hospital.

Hairmyres Hospital is committed to providing the best possible care for all our patients, as well as supporting families and carers.

Coming to hospital when you are ill or injured can be a very worrying and stressful time. The stress and distress for someone who is cognitively impaired, or is affected by dementia can be much greater. With this in mind we have been asking carers and relatives to tell us about their experience when visiting the Emergency Department at Hairmyres Hospital.

Whilst feedback has been generally positive about care and treatment, there were two areas identified that we could try and improve:

•          Communication

You told us that whilst staff kept you informed and you felt involved in decisions about the care being planned, staff didn’t always introduce themselves or explain their role in providing treatment and care.

We are attempting to make this become routine for all staff by including it in the daily safety brief, discussing it at shift changes and at staff training sessions. Staff are encouraged to prompt each other if they fail to introduce themselves when speaking with patients, relatives or carers.

Some Emergency Department nursing staff are undertaking “Best Practice” training to enhance their skills in order to specifically support patients who have dementia. Nursing staff also wear “# hello my name is” badges to help you identify them.

• Environment

We know that environmental conditions can have a significant impact on people who have a cognitive impairment or dementia. You told us that the department is busy with people coming and going, there can be a lot of noise and general hustle and bustle which resulted in some patients becoming agitated.

People affected by dementia benefit from a quiet, calm and bright environment with any signs, or items such as clocks at eye level. Their sense of perception is altered so it is important to have clear, plain, non-reflective contrast between walls and floors.

We are currently planning to refurbish one of the treatment cubicles to create a dementia friendly environment; which, in addition to the things mentioned above is also going to be soundproof so that we can provide care and treatment in a safe, controlled and calm environment.

Charge Nurse Mairi Houldsworth has been leading this work. If you have attended the Emergency Department at Hairmyres with someone affected by dementia, Mairi would be pleased to hear from you.

You can contact her on Tel No: 01355 584464,respond on Patient Opinion, or visit the “Your Feedback” Section of the NHS Lanarkshire website to see the other ways to get in touch www.nhslanarkshire.org.uk

The “#hello my name is” campaign was started by Dr Kate Granger after she became frustrated with the number of staff who failed to introduce themselves to her when she was in hospital. You can find out more about Dr Granger’s campaign at www.hellomynameis.org.uk