IPU Care Helper - West Essex and the East Hertfordshire border

St Clare Hospice is a charity providing specialist palliative care for people living with terminal or life-limiting illnesses across West Essex and the East Hertfordshire border. We care for patients and their families, providing physical, emotional, social, psychological and spiritual support, and ensuring they have timely access to skilled, compassionate and sensitive care in a place of their choice. 

• Support new patients and families in helping them settle into the IPU, inform them of processes around food, visiting and answering questions
• Work with nurses to identify where volunteer support is required and is safe i.e. support in feeding
• Have an informal handover by one of the team to discuss patients’ needs i.e. oral care, behaviour due to pain etc
• Help to make beds and to make sure the room is stocked with linen
• Clean specific areas or items of equipment as directed
• Ensure patient’s bedside trolleys and tables in the family room and main IPU area are clean and tidy at all times. Ensure water jugs are full and flowers are watered
• Sit with a patient, listen to them, provide comfort reassurance and support if required.  This may involve reading to patients, or writing letters for them
• Be involved with creative therapies and giving hand massage following internal training
• Support staff in preparing refreshments for patients and their families, as required
• Check with nursing staff, if reception advises of any visitors or relatives who have arrived, to establish whether it is convenient for them to visit at that point or whether they need to wait
• (Only relevant at certain times of the day) Support in administering alcoholic beverages on the drinks trolley with guidance from nursing staff to patients and their families when appropriate
• Support in ad-hoc admin tasks

What skills do I need?

You will need to have very strong listening and communication skills.  Be empathetic, positive, helpful and happy to ‘go the extra mile’ to support patients, families and colleagues. 

Interests

• Health and Social Care

Activities

• General Helping