DEATH is unavoidable, but COVID-19 has dramatically changed how people can spend their final days.
Hospitals have been forced to cap the number of visitors at just two, instead of the 10 people patients could have in their rooms previously. Elderly people desperate to see their grandchildren haven't been able to, with no-one under the age of 16 allowed to visit.
But the nurses at Echuca Regional Health, including Jess Verhey, have been doing everything they can to make their patients comfortable in their final moments.
“The pandemic has changed everything, and it hasn’t been easy,” Jess said.
“All of these people deserve to have more friends and family but unfortunately they aren’t allowed.
“It’s been difficult for a lot of people and we’ve had a lot more people choosing to die at home.”
Jess, who has been with ERH for about five years, said 2020 had been the most difficult of her career.
“It’s not easy telling people they aren’t allowed to come and visit their family members,” she said.
“We’ve had a little bit of backlash from people, but most have been understanding of the situation.
“All of the restrictions we’ve put in place are about keeping our patients, their visitors and the community safe. It has been about limiting any risk there may be.
“We’ve had to do everything we can to reduce the potential spread of any virus.”
While the nurses are focused on helping the family, it is just as important they take care of their own health.
“Our team does a good job of coping with death,” Jess said.
“As a team we’re very supportive of each other and this year that support has been as important as ever.
“You need to make sure everyone is okay because our jobs aren’t easy.
“When a patient dies, we will always have a debrief and speak about that person. We find it really helps us as a team.”
Echuca-Moama has been fortunate to have no patients enter the palliative care ward with COVID-19.
And Jess believes this has saved the team a lot of stress.
“We’ve been very lucky in that regard because it would change a lot about the ward.
“I couldn’t imagine what some of the nurses in Melbourne are going through and having to be a support person for someone who is dying and can’t see a family member.
“Telling someone they can’t see a dying family member would be one of the hardest things I would ever have to do.”
Despite being thrown countless challenges throughout the year, Jess said the admission of young people to palliative care was still the one which threw her most.
“When you see someone around my age come in it really hits close to home,” the 28-year-old said.
“And then there are the cases of those parents are a similar age to my parents. Losing a family member would be devastating without getting to say a proper goodbye.
“Some people like to come into the hospital once the person has died but they can’t even do that at the moment.
“Even trying to help people plan funerals has been a challenge because restrictions are always changing.
“Everything is starting to improve and hopefully that means it’s easier for people to say goodbye to their loved ones.”
