Case study:

26 September 2007

Clinical mentoring programme for specialist heart failure nurses in Bromley and Lewisham

Key points

Senior staff at St Christopher’s hospice in Sydenham, London are running a clinical mentoring programme on palliative care for all specialist heart failure nurses in Bromley and Lewisham.

The training programme, which has been running for two years, includes assessing and meeting psychological need, advanced communication skills, moderate and complex symptom control and end of life care.

Staff also have a chance to discuss specific cases or issues at a clinical support and supervision meeting.

Another element is a ‘buddying’ system, with each heart failure nurse building a relationship with one of the St Christopher’s community clinical nurse specialists or relevant hospital palliative care team nurses.

Evaluation of individual sessions shows the training is popular.

Nurses particularly appreciate the closer collaboration with hospice staff.

One commented:‘I deal with the Clinical Nurse Specialist team regularly with joint patients and they are always a joy to work with. I always gain advice and handy tips as I hope I do the same for them on occasions.’

The training has also led to changes in practice. Following the session on bereavement, nurses now visit bereaved carers after a patient’s death, which was not part of routine practice before, and have good access to relevant written material for carers.

A modified training course is to be run from autumn 2007 aimed at community nurse specialists (such as respiratory, renal, heart failure and Motor Neurone Disease) and community matrons.