Saluting Nurses In Recognition of National Nurses Week

Nurses Care at Care Center

It’s National Nurses Week May 6 to 12 and we’d like to acknowledge our fabulous nurses who take loving care of our patients and families.

Our nurses are compassionate and uplifting and bring comfort in so many ways. They’re experts at resolving the pain and symptoms of our patients. They also give education and emotional support to our patients and families, helping them understand what to expect with their illnesses and listening to them as they cope with their feelings.

Working with the Care Teams

Collaboration with the other care team members is also an integral part of their job to ensure the best possible care to patients and families. Melanie Harmon, a registered nurse (R.N.) with our supplemental staff-PRN department, celebrated ten years with Suncoast Hospice this year. She shared how she and one of our chaplains worked together swiftly to bring comfort and peace to a patient right before she died.

R.N. Home Visit

“One of our patients had a debilitating illness and was close to death. I rubbed her swollen foot, and she liked it. I called one of our chaplains to help her and he came that day. He baptized her and said the Lord’s Prayer with her family all around her bedside.  It was amazing what he did and wonderful to be there,” Melanie said.

Fulfilling Careers

Two of our other nurses say that working in hospice care is extremely meaningful. “It has been an honor and educational experience going into people’s homes and hearing their stories,” said Stephen Mitchell, a licensed practical nurse (L.P.N.) with our supplemental staff-continuous care department. Cynthia Peterson, an R.N. with one of our care teams shared, “I just don’t think there’s anything more rewarding than being at the bedsides of the dying and helping their families. It’s the best job.”

Do you want to make a difference in the lives of patients and families? Check out our current job openings.

Inside the Role of a Care Center Senior Staff Nurse

Audlyn Lord, R.N.

Audlyn Lord recently celebrated her 10th anniversary working for Suncoast Hospice. She has served as a senior staff nurse (SSN) at our Suncoast Hospice Care Center South Pinellas since it opened a year ago. She spends long, busy days on the floor seeing her patients and families and supervising the hospice aides. She’s the only SSN with direct patient care responsibilities.

“When I come in I receive a report from a registered nurse (RN) who’s here. Our care team has meetings to discuss each patient. I assess and reassess my patients and give them their medications. In between I counsel, supervise, provide support and do admissions,” Audlyn said.

Audlyn chats with Suncoast Hospice volunteer Suzanne Verhulst

Audlyn has also served as a SSN with a facility-based care team, was a RN with Suncoast Hospice Care Center Mid-Pinellas and worked on a home-based care team. She enjoys the smaller size of the South Pinellas Care Center and the close connection she makes with the people in her care.

“This care center is a very intimate setting with 12 patients. Sometimes in the hallway you see family members in tears and wanting to talk, so you stop and give them hugs and, if necessary, get the social workers or chaplains for them. Sometimes you go into patients’ rooms and there are six people inside, so you stay and chat. This is the most private time in their lives and you get to share that with them. That’s quite an honor,” she said.

Loving Her Life’s Work

Audlyn was born in the West Indies and lived in Canada for 30 years, where she helped start a palliative care team at a nursing home. She moved to Florida in 2000 and worked for one facility before coming on board with Suncoast Hospice. “This is what I was meant to do – take care of patients and their families through the dying process. I love what I do,” Audlyn said.

In her position she sees tremendous hope from hospice. “Isn’t the h in hospice for hope? Hope that you’ve made peace with your loved ones, hope that you’ve completed your bucket list, hope that you’ve accomplished whatever your dreams are,” she said.

Audlyn believes in spreading the word about hospice care; she has done an in-service on living wills at her church. “Especially in African–American communities, they hear the word hospice and they panic. Hospice is not only about death and dying. We must continue to educate people about everything that we have to offer,” she said.

Are you interested in a job at Suncoast Hospice? Check out our latest job listings.