Parish Nurse Report, May 2021

Parish Nurse report, May 2021

Sarah Male RN, Parish Nurse, St Goran & Caerhays

Vision statement, St Goran & Caerhays

Helping all members of the community by supporting independence and improving quality of life through health education, care and advice.

• Parish nurse is contracted for 15 hours per week over 3 days starting 1/10/18 for 3 years.

• Knowledge of and the profile of the parish nurse has increased significantly within the last year due to the pandemic.

• Telephone calls received and given during national lockdown only. No visiting undertaken.

• Visiting restarted In April 2021 in need capacity ensuring consent is gained and social distancing regulations apply.

• Assisted with administration of second Covid Vaccines to housebound patients within the parish in non-clinical capacity.

• Professional relationship with primary healthcare facility increases following take-over of St Austell healthcare. Honorary contract in situ. The surgery has kindly offered any essential training free of charge and access to patient notes and documentation.

• Regular CPD updates available with regional co-ordinator and nursing colleagues via Zoom.

• PNMUK Symposium attended online via Zoom over 2 days. 15^th/16^th March 2021

Since 2018, as Parish nurse, I have received in the region of just under 200 enquiries, some are one off queries and others have resulted in long-term visiting and regular communication.   The ministry continues to offer face to face and telephone consultations on a basis of self-referral or with consent from friends, family and neighbours around them, including their own healthcare providers.   The wonder of parish nursing, provides an opportunity for people to talk, discuss and offload in a space free of time constraints.  The access to professional healthcare is another factor which gives peace of mind and assurance for many. 

As a reminder, Parish nurses support, signpost and teach.  They give information and advice about medical ailments and worries.  They support the person as a whole, including their spirit and mental wellbeing, and although they are clinically knowledgeable, they do not provide clinical care.

The pandemic has undeniably raised the profile of the ministry, along with the take-over of Mevagissey surgery by St Austell Healthcare in the summer of 2020.   Soon after the takeover, I was contacted and my role greeted with enthusiasm and interest.  With an understanding of me continuing to work autonomously and independently, I have an honorary contract which gives me benefits which enhance my role substantially.  It also allows me to discuss concerns that I may have about patients that I have been visiting and request medical or multi-disciplinary help if needed.  I have also been able to dispel concerns and fears that many people have around the new surgery and its new way of working.

The relationship with the surgery has also allowed me to obtain current information regarding the vaccine rollout, I have been able to advise people around vaccine fears and worry and help to ensure that everyone within the parish has received vaccination and information surrounding it in order to make informed consent.  It was an honour for me to assist in the second administration recently to the housebound people within the village and whom are mostly all my patients.

The fallout from lockdown is still having a very negative effect on many, and carers and those living alone have been uniquely affected.  A huge part of my role has to been to identify these individuals and try to reduce a level of their isolation by staying in contact regularly and encouraging them to partake in community schemes.  I am beginning to work closely also with the social prescriber from St Austell Healthcare and between us are working hard to identify support systems that are available during these times.

Due to the gravity of the pandemic and national restrictions, my aspirations for future work with the younger members of the parish has been suspended.   Additionally, as restrictions lift, it is evident that there is much work to do in recognising the after effects of the pandemic and that seeking training in dealing with it and its aftermath may be beneficial.  It seems evident that the mental health of all ages has been affected during lockdown and as time goes on, more and more studies will be compiled into its effects long term and support will change accordingly.

Alongside my current practice, my future plans therefore are to address the above and reach out to all members of the parish including young families, in particular parents of preschool children. Support may present in a variety of ways such as holding coffee mornings (COVID dependent) as a means of reducing isolation in young mums, signposting to support agencies, education in preschool issues.  My aim is to initially ascertain whether there is a need for parish nursing intervention and liaise with the school nurse, preschool leaders of Gorran school and provide a new dimension to my parish nursing ministry.