Nursing

Our team of trained and dedicated staff are committed to providing quality care.  Staff are on duty 24 hours a day, providing medical and care support under the supervision of Matron or the staff nurse in charge.  Many of our staff have been at St Teresa’s for several years.  Staff are valued and this creates the special community spirit in the Home.

We are careful to select staff who are not only professionally qualified and experienced but also possess personal qualities to ensure we provide a high standard of care, including patience, kindness and above all, a good sense of humour.  Each and every member of staff receives first class training which continues throughout their career.

Operating to rigorous policies and procedures and with a robust approach to clinical governance, we aim to ensure that highly professional person and nursing care is delivered at all times.

St Teresa’s Home has proudly held the Gold Standards Framework award with a Beacon Status for excellence in End of Life Care, since September 2010.  We were nominated for the GSF Care Home of the Year Award 2022 in recognition of the end of life care we provide to our Residents.

We are proud to acknowledge that we hold the Platinum Award for excellence in End of Life care, having received a Quality Hallmark Award.  As we have held this accolade for several years we have the confidence and experience to care for our Residents in a compassionate and sensitive way especially as they come to their journey’s end.  It is our privilege to provide physical, spiritual and emotional care in a warm and caring environment.

What is the Gold Standards Framework?

The National Gold Standards Framework (GSF) Centre in End of Life Care is the national training and coordinating centre for all GSF programmes, enabling generalist frontline staff to provide a gold standard of care for people nearing the end of life.

The aim of the Gold Standard is to achieve the best quality of life for Residents, particularly towards the end of life. It is about enabling “people to live well, until they die”, regardless of their diagnosis.

The idea is to deliver a gold standard of care for people as they near the end of their lives and to reduce the need for crisis hospital admission.

Key Developments that are incorporated into GSF

• For all Residents there is a register and coding system which reflects their current health status. Regular planning meetings to discuss agreed plans of care of dying Residents and after death meetings take place, to look at how we could have improved this time.
• Collaboration with Palliative Care Team to anticipate physical symptoms and to reduce these symptoms where possible, before they cause problems.
• A notice board giving all who come to the Home information about the Gold Standards Framework.
• Information and communication with other relevant providers to include out of hours services.
• All Residents now have an Advance Care Plan which incorporates a `thinking ahead` form. This form allows discussions about the wishes and preferences of Residents should their health deteriorate. These include preferred place of care, resuscitation or any anxieties they may have.

The Key Champions for GSF at St Teresa’s are Loyola Goodsell and Sr. Jennifer Brown.