Who better than to improve the care delivery of a new concept in palliative and end of life care than Nurses who are the Ambassadors of care at the final moments of life?
Noting an increased demand for all dementia, palliative and end of care services, Cavendish Professionals Homecare recently successfully piloted the new international Lantern Model – because it makes sense to become involved in a nurse led model of end of life care that will shape our philosophy and care within end of life services.
The Lantern Model is an exciting new contemporary model of nursing. It builds on a person-centred practice framework to guide nurses to provide end-of-life care in any care setting for the person and those close to them. It is family friendly, has a focus on outcomes, and fits within all best practice involvement including “John’s Campaign” for those living with dementia.
The Lantern Model was created by St Christopher’s Hospice Joint Chief Executive, Heather Richardson, and Marie Cooper, Project Lead for Celebrating Palliative Care Nursing in 2020.
It has been both designed for and is dedicated to all nurses working within palliative and end of life care.
Nurses are in the unique position to really make a huge difference in end-of-life care. Despite all interventions, nurses and care staff are the most likely people present at time of death.
The care received should be an example of nursing at its finest – by compassionate staff able to assist clients in their personal journey towards death. This defines what nurses and care staff do best – and this unique relationship and contribution is identified within this new model.
As a nurse, I have personally relished and enjoyed my role in caring for dying people. I am aware how the simplest things or actions have huge impact – end of life is all about the small adjustments to a care routine that can change everything. The Lantern Model reflects this.
Person centered care during the end-of-life phase is essential – this period should be the precise opportunity to evidence this being done well.
What is different about this model is that is recognises the vital elements of nursing that make it both therapeutic and healing in nature. The model offers guidance on how nurses can provide transformational care by deploying both the art and science of their profession and drawing on a range of personal pre-requisites. The model makes a case for supportive organisational conditions and connectivity with the wider MDT, which helps care shift from being good to outstanding.
Recently Lantern Model Co-Founders Professor Heather Richardson and Marie Cooper visited our head office to speak to staff and hear their feedback. Our pilot team consisted of experienced Registered Nurses all working by choice in end-of-life settings. Certificates were also issued during this day of celebration.
Our next phase of this model includes incorporating this into all staff induction and by developing a post death bereavement information pack for families.
The Lantern Model is deliberately not a completed work – it encourages staff to develop use of this model in their unique way within their workplace and help mould it’s universal pathway.
A range of interactive tools are being developed to help nurses apply the model (available Spring 2022) – I urge nurses to become involved in this great project!
Maggie Candy RN is a Nursing Consultant & John’s Campaign Ambassador, and Movement for Improvement Activist at Cavendish Professionals Homecare
More details can be found via the website page:
https://www.stchristophers.org.uk/course/lantern-model-webinar-series/
