Reflecting on my Journey in Palliative Care
– Ms Meenu Yadav, Jodhpur
For me, Palliative care is not just a field of medicine; it is a commitment to ease the suffering and to be able to provide holistic support to patients suffering from serious health related illnesses and their families.
While undergoing my training in nursing, I had minimal understanding about palliative care. However, I was introduced to this very much needed field during my professional journey as a nursing officer.
While being posted at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at AIIMS Jodhpur, I cared for several patients nearing their end of life. As I began to observe their suffering and understand the depth of their needs, I felt motivated to empower myself with the necessary knowledge and skills that would allow me to provide increased comfort and support to my suffering patients and their families. As a first step, I sent a formal request to my superiors requesting for a transfer to the Pain and Palliative Care Out Patient Department (OPD), which would provide me with an opportunity to deepen my knowledge and skills in this field.
To strengthen my knowledge, I completed the ELNEC (End of Life Nursing Education Consortium) training in palliative care. This training program helped broaden my perspective regarding the complexities of end-of-life care and the importance of not only addressing one’s physical pain but also managing one’s emotional, social, and spiritual distresses.
Next, I participated and successfully completed both components of the IAPC’s Certificate Course in Essentials of Palliative Care (CCEPC), at AIIMS Jodhpur. Participating in this training program was a truly transformative experience as it allowed me to directly engage with patients and their caregivers during home care visits.
The World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is also celebrated annually at my organization during which we organize role-plays and other activities to spread awareness and further sharpen our skills. Additionally, I participated in many workshops and attended IAPCON 2023 at Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Attending these sessions provided me with a platform to stay updated regarding the recent developments and advances in palliative care, while also giving me an invaluable opportunity to network with other professionals in the field.
I would like to share the story of one particular patient, which left a profound impact on me.
Mr. Ravi (name changed) was a 71-year old resident of Jodhpur. He has two children – an elder son who resides in the United States of America; and a partially blind younger daughter who lives with them. Mr. Ravi once owned and managed a juice shop which burnt down seven years ago due to a fire accident.
In September 2018, Mr Ravi was diagnosed with carcinoma of the prostate with bone metastasis, and had also undergone the necessary surgery. His life had now changed drastically and was now marked with physical suffering and emotional turmoil. Two years ago, he registered for the home-based palliative care program offered by us, and since then, my team has been consistently supporting him through physiotherapy, pain management, and nursing care.
One day, we came to know that Mr. Ravi and his family had not celebrated their wedding anniversary for the past seven years due to their various personal tragedies. We decided to change that!! On 31st December,2023, our team visited Mr. Ravi’s home to celebrate their anniversary and welcome the New Year with them. We put together a small celebration, complete with cake and decorations to create a joyful atmosphere which the family could cherish and enjoy. The family’s smiles and tears of gratitude were truly heartwarming and brought tears to our eyes as well. Even if only for a brief moment, we felt that we were successful in helping them reclaim their forgotten happiness and helped create new and positive memories.
This episode in my journey as a nursing officer in palliative care, made me feel truly privileged to be a part of a noble field where even small acts of care have the potential to make monumental differences in the lives of those we serve and care.
I urge all my nursing colleagues to get trained in palliative care so that we are able to improve the quality of life of our dear patients and their families.