The lush, vibrant piece is full of color and life, setting an upbeat tone for what might otherwise be a very somber visit. According to Karen MacMillan, manager of the Tertiary Palliative Care learn at the Grey Nuns, the mural is the symbol of everything it means to work in their unit. Like the work that goes on within the unit, the mural was a labour of love, the result of the combined efforts of patients and their families working in conjunction with the diverse array of talented individuals who make up the Unit 43 team.
This overwhelming dedication and care for the patients is why the team was named the recipient of the 2004 Caritas Mission Team Award.
In a place where the most vulnerable and suffering come to spend their final days the team labors to ensure that patients and their families can find rest, comfort and dignity. As the team's clinical nurse educator, Louise Kashuba, notes "On an every day basis they do something exceptional. They take their extraordinary duties for granted. They don't really believe they are doing anything unusual."
Central to the team's continued success has been the focus upon a holistic approach to healing. One staff member described the approach as, "We don't just address the physical components of care, we also address their psychosocial and spiritual needs. In some ways I think that might be the most important part." In all of these efforts the patient and family are considered a unit which must be treated with care and compassion. Staff members extend this care to each other as well, going our of their way to support one another during times of crisis or hardship. This intense unity helps to ease the strain of the often emotionally draining goodbyes, allowing team members to focus upon the joy they receive in providing comfort to patients and their families.
As one team member said, "People choose to work here, it's not just a job. If it was just a job you wouldn't stay for long. It can take an enormous emotional toll and yet most of us have been here for ages." Staff in Unit 43 embrace the mission of Caritas, focusing upon easing the physical, emotional and spiritual suffering patients experience.
One team member noted, "In many ways this program is the embodiment of the mission, we are completely focused upon caring for the most vulnerable and voiceless members of our community."
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