Q: What are your typical hours?
A: We work a 12 hour day/night shift. There are 3-4 nurses on each shift 7 days a week.

Q: What type of care are you providing?
A: We care for children with life-threatening illnesses who are here for family support and respite, pain and symptom management and end-of-life care. Some children and families we know for a few hours and others we know over the course of several years. 

Q: What types of nursing skills are required?
A: Nurses use a wide variety of skills as many of the children have complex care requirements. Our technical skills are similar to those used in a critical care area of an acute pediatric setting. We look after children from newborn to 19 years of age. We care for children who have experienced loss of physical and sometimes intellectual abilities. Our ability to assess and intervene on a day to day and sometimes hour to hour or minute to minute basis is important so that we can provide the best care possible for that child and family as their situation changes. We communicate with multiple community partners who are also involved in caring for children on our program and provide telephone support to families who call the hospice from around the province for help.     

Q: Can you describe the relationship you form with the children and families you care for?
A: The nursing team forms a very close bond to the children and their families. We meet under very stressful and sad times. We take great pride in providing the highest possible standard of care to some of the most vulnerable children and families in the province. I think families learn very quickly that they can trust our care.

Q: Where do you turn to find individual support when needed?
A:  We work in a very unique environment where we witness grief and loss daily. We have a very supportive nursing and interdisciplinary team.  I turn to my colleagues for support when needed and try to offer support to colleagues when I can. The last few years we have had a retreat where we have met off site as a nursing team. I appreciate the day. Taking the time to share our stories with each other helps me to continue to do this work.

Q: What’s the most rewarding part of nursing at Canuck Place?
A: The most rewarding part of nursing at Canuck Place for me is very simple and that is to see a child die peacefully in the arms of their family.