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Supporting staff in providing high quality care
To help improve his sleep as much as possible, the team
helped DH practise grounding techniques to minimise
the impact of his flashbacks and nightmares, enabling
him to go back to sleep more quickly. They wrote up
the techniques he found most helpful, leaving prompts
by his bedside. They also engaged with nursing staff,
so those looking after him at night could practise the
identified techniques with him as needed.
DH is self-employed, so, to reduce anxiety around the
financial impact of the hospital admission, the team
supported him to speak to his landlord and make a
benefits application. When he was ready to be stepped
down to a different hospital team, staff shared, with
his consent, their insight to help minimise the risks of
triggering his PTSD.
Once DH had been discharged home, it became clear
that he had suffered a further trauma because of his
serious illness and the delirium he experienced during
his admission to critical care. He has now started a
course of one-to-one therapy, with a focus on trauma
and adjustment.
DH is continuing to receive ongoing support. His
nightmares have decreased in frequency and intensity,
and, thanks to the efforts of the psychosocial team, he
reports having flashbacks less frequently – they are
now weekly, as opposed to at least daily when the team
first began working with him.
“This service is extremely
important, and offered me support
that massively helped me get
through and process the trauma of
my husband’s time in the CCU. At
a time where waiting lists for any
kind of counselling are lengthy,
being able to access this service,
tailored to my exact experience and
pretty much immediately, was a
godsend, and quite literally saved
my sanity.”
“King’s College Hospital Charity
has been brilliant in allowing
us to think of creative solutions
to challenges – that’s why I really
enjoy working with them.”
David Glover, Head of Social Work
at King’s College Hospital
Emergency support for families in need
King’s head of social work, David Glover, applied to
the Charity’s 2021 Crown Fund award scheme (see
pages 16-17) to take the psychosocial team’s care even
further. He wanted to create a critical care sustenance
fund to provide emergency support to families in crisis
– many of whom arrive without money or a place to
stay when a loved one is brought to the unit.
We would regularly see families arriving in the CCU
with no money, no toiletries, or sleeping on the floor.
Sometimes nurses would buy them food because they
couldn’t bear to see families struggle.
"But now, thanks to the Charity, we have funding
to support those in greatest need, organising
accommodation for them near the hospital, paying
for their bus or train travel, and helping them with
food and clothing vouchers. These things don’t cost
huge amounts of money, but they can really make
a difference.
"We see vulnerability every single day. The Charity has
really helped us to address some of the inequality that
can be a barrier to patients and families, preventing
them from having access to the basics. Together, we
have been able to take an idea that truly demonstrates
outstanding compassionate care and trial it to build
evidence to take the project forward.
Family of a CCU patient (in response to the team's
Patient and Families' Survey)
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