“Knowing you played a part in respecting a person’s wish to die at home and being their advocate when they are no longer able to communicate for themselves is so important and a privilege to be able to do.”  – Debbie Winspear, Registered Nurse.

I joined the Hospice in November 2024 as one of the first new Registered Nurses (RNs) in the remodelled end-of-life care service that we provide.

As RN in charge, my day is often varied and unpredictable; I coordinate the support and care available (staffing) and what is needed (priorities) over the next 24 hours based on the patients we have for that day. I complete holistic assessments for the new patients referred to us so we can prioritise and individualise their care. I manage our Palliative Care Assistants (PCAs) who are on duty, supporting them with any issues or concerns they have had with their allocated patients, and I liaise with the Community Nurses.

On other days I’ll be the RN for the Roaming Team who, with the support of a PCA colleague, is available to visit new patients in their homes to complete holistic assessments. This is preferred as we can see the patient, their home situation, family dynamics etc. As a trained nurse I am also able to administer prescribed medications to patients if they present in pain or have agitation or secretions.

Can you share a bit about your journey into nursing?

After leaving college I started working for Social Services as a community care assistant and loved it. My manager at the time felt I should use my qualifications to start a career so, when I was 19 years old, I started my nurse training at Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham. I especially liked care of the elderly so that was my first ward placement.

My heart remained with providing care to patients in their homes so 18 months after qualifying I joined a District Nursing Team. I remained there until I retired from the NHS and came to the brilliant Nottinghamshire Hospice.

What is the most rewarding part of being a nurse?

Knowing you made a difference, whether that be to ease a patient’s pain with medication, or making them laugh when they are feeling sad.

I’ve had so many memorable patient interactions, and they mostly involve laughter, which I believe is so important for a patient’s wellbeing (especially if they’ve not had any visitors).

One that particularly stands out was when a colleague and I burst into a song and dance routine for a patient that was isolated and barely able to move from his chair. He smiled all the way through and said we had made his day.

What misconceptions do you think people have about end-of-life care?

The most common misconception for palliative care provision comes when family or friends struggle to cope with the reality that their loved one is no longer safe to drink anything or get out of bed as they get closer to the end of their life. A lot consider that they have “given up” and that we should be “doing more to help make them better, not sedating them with drugs”. But we always have our patients’ best interests at heart, and we care for them in the way we would our own loved ones.

Being able to provide care for people to remain at home to die is a huge privilege to be a part of. We regularly support patients from when they first have their diagnosis and need treatment at home prescribed by the hospital, to providing full nursing care pre- and post-death.

Their families, friends and even pets also become a part of this very personal time. They look toward us nurses to guide them and are incredibly grateful. It can sometimes feel like you became an extension of that family.

The best thing about joining Nottinghamshire Hospice is that I will end my nursing career in an area that has given me so much fulfilment and is very rewarding. That might sound strange when speaking about palliative care provision but knowing you played a part in respecting a person’s wish to die at home and being their advocate when they are no longer able to communicate for themselves is so important and a privilege to be able to do.

Help us Bring Care Home to more families in Nottinghamshire.

By supporting our Bring Care Home appeal, you can help Debbie and our Hospice in Your Home team to reach more families across Nottinghamshire.