Family Comfort Cart Initiative Recognized by Board of Directors

Reta Coburn, Quinte Health Board Member, delivered the following Values in Action Award presentation at the Board of Directors meeting on September 24, 2024:

“At the beginning of each meeting of the Quinte Health Board of Directors, we shine a well-deserved spotlight on the great work of a team, or a team member, who brings our Quinte Health values to life—Imagine it’s you, Value everyone, We all make a difference, and Stronger together. Today, we are pleased to recognize some key team members who harnessed the power of “Imagine it’s you” to elevate patient and family-centred care at North Hastings Hospital.

Jody Ives has worked as a nurse in various cities, hospitals, and long-term care facilities throughout her career. She has seen families in crisis countless times and has a good idea of what can be helpful to families in those situations. In her new role as Operations Coordinator at North Hastings Hospital, she took inspiration from other facilities in which she’s worked to create a Family Comfort Cart—with the help of some other North Hastings Hospital (NHH) team members.

Jody researched comfort carts and put together a proposal with help from frontline NHH nurses Dawn Johnson and Lyndsey Howran. She presented the proposal to the North Hastings District Hospital Auxiliary (NHDHA) and asked if they would get on board to cover the costs of the cart.

Auxiliary President, Donna Fedorov, thought the cart was a great idea. She and her sister had been by their mother’s side when she was dying in hospital and truly appreciated a family friend stopping by to deliver snacks and toiletries so they didn’t need to leave their mom’s bedside. Donna immediately understood the value of a Family Comfort Cart, and so did the rest of the auxiliary. They agreed to fund the cart and auxiliary member Rita Kerr was instrumental in helping Jody get the cart set up.

The cart includes: snacks, beverages, a kettle to boil water for coffee, tea and soup cups; travel-size toiletries; activity books and decks of cards; a charging station for devices; blank patient and family experience journals; and a radio to accommodate palliative patients wishing to listen to favourite songs.

Jody also approached Quinte Health’s palliative care team about including a booklet that will help families know what to expect when their loved one is dying.

Jody explained that options are limited at night for refreshments, especially in a rural area like Bancroft, so the cart provides necessities for families who want to stay as close as possible to their loved ones while they’re in a critical state. The cart is accessible to any team member, including night staff, so is always available when needed.

The North Hastings Hospital team was eagerly anticipating the implementation of this invaluable cart and some staff even donated items that they thought would be useful.

Thank you to the North Hastings Hospital team, in particular Jody Ives, Dawn Johnson and Lyndsey Howran, and North Hastings District Hospital Auxiliary members Donna Fedorov and Rita Kerr for their efforts to provide comfort to families when they need it most. Please accept this Values in Action Award from the Quinte Health Board of Directors for your dedication to living the Quinte Health values.”

#Care

#ImagineItsYou

Quinte Health Board member Reta Coburn (left) and Lisa O’Toole, Board Chair (right), present Values in Action Awards to Rita Kerr, Donna Fedorov and Jody Ives. Missing: Nurses Dawn Johnson and Lyndsey Howran.