Our recent STAR Award winner for Excellent Experiences goes to Jemma Hilliard, Palliative Care Nurse Consultant.
The Excellent Experiences award is for an individual, group or team who has made a positive impact on the experience of our people, patients or consumers.
Jemma won the award for her exceptional approach to everyday practice. In this example highlighted by her colleagues, Jemma exceeded “standard care” to ensure quality end-of-life care for her patients.
A male patient with end-stage cancer was admitted to the ward. Despite interventions on the ward, he was medically deteriorating and nearing the end of his life. The patient was referred to Jemma and the Palliative Care team, early in the admission.
The patient had expressed clear wishes to return home, however the multidisciplinary team had concerns. Jemma took the time to understand the patient and his wife’s wishes, home situation, and concerns and barriers to enacting his wishes. Within the first hour of her initial contact with the family, and thanks to her excellent communication skills, Jemma ensured the Allied Health team completed the necessary assessments.
Jemma provided a high level of compassion to support the patient’s wife, who was struggling to accept her husband’s terminal diagnosis and lacked social support.
Jemma’s ability to quickly build rapport and trust meant the patient did not deteriorate to the point of missing his opportunity to return home.
Symptom management at home was a concern for the patient’s wife. Jemma demonstrated whole-person care to bridge this gap, keeping the patient and his wife’s wishes and best interests in mind. With thoroughness and compassion, Jemma provided education to the patient’s wife on medication administration, as well as offering the support of her team, should the wife feel overwhelmed with providing care.
Once education, equipment and services were finalised, Jemma worked with the Nurse Unit Manager (NUM) to ensure the patient had transport to return home. She advocated for Community Palliative Care services to meet the wife at home on the day of discharge, so the couple were never without support.
With Jemma’s support and education, the patient’s wish to return home was fulfilled.
The Allied Health team at Monash Medical Centre Ward 44 feels very privileged and grateful to work alongside Jemma, which is why they nominated her for the STAR Award.
It was a mix of shock and gratitude when Jemma found out she’d won the STAR award.
“I want to acknowledge how hard-working the Allied Health team are and how much I really couldn’t make my patient’s complex requests come true without them. This award is to recognise how much goes into getting a palliative patient home,” Jemma says.
Congratulations to Jemma for winning this STAR Award!
If you would like to nominate a colleague or team, you can do so at any time by visiting the STAR Awards portal. For more information about the STAR Awards program, Monash Health Employee Recognition Program page.
Approved by Chris McLoughlin, Executive Director, People and Culture