Action 5.18 states
The health service organisation provides access to supervision and support for the workforce providing end-of-life care
Intent
The workforce has access to support and supervision to alleviate workplace stress associated with delivering end-of-life care.
Reflective question
How does the health service organisation ensure that members of the workforce receive supervision and support when delivering end-of-life care?
Key task
Develop processes to ensure that all members of the workforce providing end-of-life care know how to access supervision and support.
Strategies for improvement
Hospitals
Dealing with death and dying can be challenging for clinicians, and for other members of the workforce such as ward clerks, porters and cleaners. It can add considerably to workplace stress. Chronic unmanaged stress can erode empathy, and could contribute to poorer experiences for patients, carers and families.
Put processes in place to aid access to peer support, mentoring and appropriate clinical supervision.
Develop a policy framework outlining how clinical supervision and support are provided in the health service organisation. Ensure that this includes access to external services for formal clinical supervision, counselling or debriefing after particularly distressing or problematic episodes of care. Provide information to the workforce about access to supervision and support at orientation at the start of employment and during regular refresher training.
Develop resources and training materials to support clinicians to develop skills in self-care, reflective practice and providing peer support to colleagues. Detailed information about stress and burnout relating to the care of the dying, and strategies for prevention, is available from the CareSearch website.
Day Procedure Services
This action will not be applicable for most day procedure services. It is unlikely that day procedure services will be providing care to patients at the end of life because of the nature of the service and pre-admission screening.
Refer to the hospitals tab for detailed implementation strategies and examples of evidence for this action.
MPS & Small Hospitals
Dealing with death and dying can be challenging for clinicians, and for other members of the workforce such as ward clerks, porters and cleaners. It can add considerably to workplace stress. Chronic unmanaged stress can erode empathy, and could contribute to poorer experiences for patients, carers and families.
Put processes in place to aid access to peer support, mentoring and appropriate clinical supervision.
Develop a policy framework outlining how clinical supervision and support are provided in the health service organisation. Ensure that this includes access to external services for formal clinical supervision, counselling or debriefing after particularly distressing or problematic episodes of care. Provide information to the workforce about access to supervision and support at orientation at the start of employment and during regular refresher training.
Develop resources and training materials to support clinicians to develop skills in self-care, reflective practice and providing peer support to colleagues. Detailed information about stress and burnout relating to the care of the dying, and strategies for prevention, is available from the CareSearch website.
Hospitals
Dealing with death and dying can be challenging for clinicians, and for other members of the workforce such as ward clerks, porters and cleaners. It can add considerably to workplace stress. Chronic unmanaged stress can erode empathy, and could contribute to poorer experiences for patients, carers and families.
Put processes in place to aid access to peer support, mentoring and appropriate clinical supervision.
Develop a policy framework outlining how clinical supervision and support are provided in the health service organisation. Ensure that this includes access to external services for formal clinical supervision, counselling or debriefing after particularly distressing or problematic episodes of care. Provide information to the workforce about access to supervision and support at orientation at the start of employment and during regular refresher training.
Develop resources and training materials to support clinicians to develop skills in self-care, reflective practice and providing peer support to colleagues. Detailed information about stress and burnout relating to the care of the dying, and strategies for prevention, is available from the CareSearch website.
Day Procedure Services
This action will not be applicable for most day procedure services. It is unlikely that day procedure services will be providing care to patients at the end of life because of the nature of the service and pre-admission screening.
Refer to the hospitals tab for detailed implementation strategies and examples of evidence for this action.
MPS & Small Hospitals
Dealing with death and dying can be challenging for clinicians, and for other members of the workforce such as ward clerks, porters and cleaners. It can add considerably to workplace stress. Chronic unmanaged stress can erode empathy, and could contribute to poorer experiences for patients, carers and families.
Put processes in place to aid access to peer support, mentoring and appropriate clinical supervision.
Develop a policy framework outlining how clinical supervision and support are provided in the health service organisation. Ensure that this includes access to external services for formal clinical supervision, counselling or debriefing after particularly distressing or problematic episodes of care. Provide information to the workforce about access to supervision and support at orientation at the start of employment and during regular refresher training.
Develop resources and training materials to support clinicians to develop skills in self-care, reflective practice and providing peer support to colleagues. Detailed information about stress and burnout relating to the care of the dying, and strategies for prevention, is available from the CareSearch website.