Mrs Bridget Garrard1
1Northern Sydney Home Nursing Service, Hornsby, Australia
Biography:
Bridget Garrard is a Clinical Nurse Consultant with over 43 years of experience in oncology, hematology, and palliative care. She has spent the past four years in the community setting, where she champions education to empower nurses and improve patient care. Bridget holds a Master’s in Nursing with a focus on education and has led an initiative to standardize bereavement and end-of-life care across Northern Sydney Home Nursing services. Her work reflects a deep commitment to compassionate care and advancing nursing practice through education.
Abstract:
Background:
The Northern Sydney Home Nursing Service (NSHNS) palliative and oncology specialist staff identified inconsistencies in how bereavement visits were conducted across its six centres. A staff survey revealed varied practices and highlighted a need for structured education to improve confidence and consistency in delivering end-of-life care (EOLC) in the home setting.
Aims:
This project aimed to:
1.Standardise bereavement and EOLC practices across NSHNS six centres.
2.Improve staff knowledge and confidence in providing holistic care during the dying phase.
3.Develop practical resources to support staff and families during and after death at home.
Methods:
Three working groups were formed, each focusing on key areas: holistic EOLC, person-centered verification of death (VOD), and bereavement support. Each group reviewed current literature and developed educational content and tools. A pre-education survey assessed baseline knowledge. Education was piloted at one centre to begin with before being rolled out to the other centres. This was followed by a post-education survey to evaluate impact.
Results:
Pre-education findings showed that 33% of staff were unsure how to verify a death, 26% did not know when EOLC should begin, and 50% lacked understanding of care during the dying phase. Post-education results indicated 100% of respondents understood care requirements during the dying phase. Staff reported increased confidence and awareness of previously overlooked aspects of care. Families expressed appreciation through increased thank-you cards and positive feedback.
Conclusions:
The pilot education program successfully addressed inconsistencies in bereavement and EOLC practices. The introduction of visual aids, task lists, symptom management tools, and bereavement resources improved staff confidence and family satisfaction. Recommendations include broader rollout of the program, inclusion of a N.U.R.S.E. acronym lanyard for bereavement conversations, and a carer booklet titled ‘What to Expect When a Relative or Friend Dies at Home.’
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