Hi Gerri!

It's wonderful to chat with you about your experience here at Hospice Isle of Man. As this year's Hospice Care Week theme is "We are Hospice care", we're taking the opportunity to talk about some of our wonderful staff from all corners of the organisation to show how we all contribute.

Please answer some of these question so everyone can get to know you a little more...

1. What is your role within Hospice Isle of Man?

Clinical Nurse Specialist

2. How long have you been working/volunteering here?

Over 12 years

3. What is your favourite thing about being part of the Hospice team?

Providing an excellent difficult emotional service

4. What would a usual day/duties at Hospice look like for you?

Daily community meeting to discuss H@H patients, need for beds and allocation of this based on triage. Review of patients at home or Hospital visits, medications .reviews, liaison with GP’s, well -being teams, District Nurses (DNS), Acute Oncology and often consultants in UK. Admin! Triage of new referrals and arranging appointments and follow up. Admin! I also teach two courses twice a year so updating powerpoints and training as well as doing own mandatory annual training. Often have DN’s, GP trainees, or F1 Drs on a shadow day so teaching is important

5. How do you usually start the day ahead of arriving at Hospice, and how does this benefit your work? (E.g. a cup of coffee, yoga, cold shower to prepare for the day etc.)

Drive over the mountain!

6. What do you usually do to unwind after work/volunteering?

Pilates, swimming

7. Please describe your work/volunteering life in 3 words

Busy, perpetual motion

8. What’s a professional achievement you are most proud of?

Passing my Non medical Prescribers course

9. What are your aspirations for your future here at Hospice Isle of Man?

Continue to do the job I love and am told I am good at!

10. Do you have any highlights, stories or favourite memories you would like to share about your time here at Hospice Isle of Man?

Too many to mention, families are so generous with sharing their needs and valuable time – it is so lovely to hear the thanks especially at funeral services.

A call out during a funeral service for shaving the patients legs on her final day as she was very proud of her appearance and always wanted to look her best!

A marriage in the chapel,

Arranging donkeys to visit a pt at home as a last request,

Everton FC sending videos and messages to a patient too poorly to travel for a planned game,

Wedding vow renewal service in Nobles park, the patient was barely able to get downstairs the previous day, helping her manage them and plans to get her mobile and out of the house for her special day.

Queens pier plank gift for the office with the attributes the family thought made our team so special as well as numerous handmade cards etc.

Possibly my proudest memory/story is starting the shared hearts project with our previous volunteer co-ordinator Cathy during Covid, it has become so popular we have had letters of thanks from NZ and further afield. Volunteers still happy to knit and crochet for us and the families love the special memory.