Deck the wards with boughs of holly
22 Dec 2016
22 December 2016
Find out what it’s really like to spend Christmas with St John of God Health Care.
Sheena, Emergency Department nurse at
St John of God Murdoch Hospital
“I volunteer to work Christmas because when
my kids were smaller I wanted Christmas off to be with them. Now they are bigger I don’t mind working so the staff who have small kids can be home with their families.”
Sheena has worked at St John of God Murdoch Hospital for 17 years and says that whether or not the ED is busy on Christmas day often depends on what toys are popular.
“The year rip sticks (hover boards) were out we had a lot of kids coming in who had fallen off and hurt their hands, legs and ankles,” she said. “Let’s face it nobody wants to be here on Christmas day, so we try and make their stay as pleasant as possible. What we usually do is buy small gifts and wrap them up. Then if any kids come through we give them a present, it helps to break the ice with the kiddies.”
Sheena says the ED staff all celebrate in their own way with festive scrubs and hats and a Christmas morning tea. She says staff will often try to help each other out by coming in earlier for shifts.
“If you’re happy it’s going to rub off on to the patients. Nobody wants to have someone grumpy looking after them.”
Beverley, rehabilitation patient at
St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital
While Beverley’s main goal is to get home before Christmas day so she can wrap her presents,
she says cheery staff have helped her feel the Christmas spirit.
“The staff are amazing. Yesterday I was given a Christmas present by the guy who brings the newspapers, which was lovely,” she said. “They know I’m looking forward to going home so the staff all say things like ‘I hope we don’t see you again’ or ‘hope you are not here by my next shift,’ which is nice.”
Beverley also said she liked her ward’s
Christmas decorations. “It’s the cheeriness in
the bits the staff have around themselves, like the Christmas hats and brooches. It sort of reminds you that it’s Christmas.”
Lynda, Pastoral Care Coordinator at
St John of God Bendigo Hospital
“It’s important to be aware of the fact
that Christmas time can be difficult for
many people. If you are not well, have received
a diagnosis you didn’t expect, or have lost
a loved one, Christmas can heighten a sense
of grief and loss.”
Lynda says that pastoral care staff do all they
can to care for the emotional, spiritual and social side of patients.
“It could be just providing time for the patients
to share how they are feeling, at a time when everyone else is feeling happy and they are feeling grief and loss. In Bendigo we have a ‘Missing you at Christmas’ tree. It starts bare, with cards and pens available. People are invited to express their loss of a loved one or someone else they are missing. By the time Christmas comes, the tree is full of expressions of love.”
Lynda says the most important thing about celebrating Christmas in hospital is to make sure patients still feel they are a part of the community.
“By providing a way to celebrate Christmas in hospital, it helps people to still feel connected to their community and helps break down the isolation. We all need to belong.”