CLINICAL / QUALITY MANAGER
POHLENATION AUTUMN 2016 GENERAL MANAGER’S UPDATE Pohlen and Hospice working together – New wing, near completion We are only weeks away from the completion of our new wing and I thought it an ideal time to clarify and emphasize the working relationship we have and will continue to have with Hospice Waikato. Although the new wing at Pohlen Hospital has been specifically designed to provide end of life care conducive to a home environment, it is crucial for the community to understand it does not take the place of Hospice. For the past 10 years Hospice Waikato have been providing specialist community palliative care and services in the Matamata region, regularly working in conjunction with Pohlen Hospital and other providers. It is important to understand that not every palliative patient needs specialist palliative care. However when they do, that is what Hospice Waikato provides. Hospice services are provided to anyone who needs them throughout the Waikato region, whether they have made the choice to live out their life in their own home” or within a hospital type environment like Pohlen. The new wing at Pohlen is designed for patients who make the latter choice. The last weeks of a loved one’s life can be extremely upsetting - particularly if they need to be moved from their own home. Our intention is to provide a home away from home environment that is family friendly, welcoming and above all else, doesn’t “feel” like a hospital. Of course the overlay of clinical excellence at Pohlen is part and parcel of what we do and do well. Hospice Waikato is a vital component of this care. Soon to open in Matamata, a Hospice Waikato shop will help this organisation continue to provide its services to Pohlen, free of charge by turning second hand donated goods into first class care. This includes providing support, training and education to caregiving and nursing staff at Pohlen, medical support, grief and bereavement counselling, and social work support for patients and their families / whanau. “In a close knit community like ours, it is imperative people come first. Pohlen Hospital with the support Hospice Waikato aim to achieve the best possible quality of life for patients and their families, and we are of the belief this works best with a multidisciplinary team approach. Greg
Winter is just around the corner so protect yourself from the nasty side effects of Influenza by making an appointment at the Matamata Medical Centre for your annual Fluvax. Our permanent clients will get their Fluvax next week and I encourage you to also be vaccinated to minimise the spread of influenza in the hospital. Our Quality Improvement Project ‘Falls Prevention and Minimisation’ has been in progress during 2015 and was hugely successful. Our aim was to reduce the number of client falls from the first half of 2015 by 50% for the second 6 months. We achieved a 63% reduction in falls. Well done team. We will continue this focus on Falls Minimisation for 2016 and hope to maintain low numbers of client falls. Keep well and if not well stay at home to keep the bugs out of the hospital. Thank you once again to all staff for your efforts, we have had some busy times with some complex issues.
Loraine STAFF HAPPENINGS ACE Please leave Natalie a Timetarget message with any queries regarding your ACE papers. New Staff
Brooke Haumu – Registered Nurse Vanessa Smith – Hospital Aide Andrea Crawford – Hospital Aide Kizzy Thomson – Hospital Aide Julita Dacanay – Food Services Penelope Pineda – Food Services Melanie Miller – Housekeeping Lara Fernandez – Housekeeping
Staff farewells
Joanne Asken – Registered Nurse Wendy West – Registered Nurse Jeth Barbuco – Hospital Aide Leigh Hamerton – Hospital Aide Sarah Cornelius – Maternity Aide Linda Brown – Food Services