Full disclosure – I’m tired of hearing the word “non-essential” applied to people. It especially bothers me to hear the term applied to some of the members of the hospice interdisciplinary team.
There’s a method behind the madness of excluding these hospice disciplines from the bedside care they usually provide. Providing for the safety of patients and families is always a top priority for end of life care teams. We certainly don’t want to make these “non-essential” team members feel unimportant, or devalued.
I get the reasoning. The logic. I see the necessity. What I also see as a result of the temporary banning of some team members from direct patient care is the devaluing of professionals who provide invaluable care for seriously ill patients and their caregiving systems.
Social workers. Spiritual counselors (chaplains). Aides. Volunteers.
The work of every member of a hospice team is crucial. When there’s a national health emergency occurring, patients need all the help they can get. The care that these so-called non-essential team members provide is more critical to the well-being of patients than ever before.
Maybe you’re a hospice team member who’s been excluded from seeing patients in person during the pandemic. A social worker trying to coordinate a DNR with a grieving family, counseling them over the phone. A chaplain listening to a patient’s life review via a Zoom call. An aide who’s been repurposed in the office, or worse – furloughed or laid off. Volunteers going the extra mile to meet a need and making someone’s day.
Please know this . You’ve never been non-essential to the care of our patients. Your skills are indispensable. Nobody else can do what you do with such skill and compassion. You’ll be back at work as soon as it’s safe for your patients, families, and communities.
We miss you. We need you. You are The Heart of Hospice.