#ExpOfCare Week special: 60s with Angie McNamara, What Matters to You
In her #ExpOfCare Week 60 seconds interview, our Oncology In-patient Matron Angie McNamara tells us about the 'What Matters to You' project that she and Debbie Spencer Palmer (Senior Sister Ward 5C) have piloted on the 5th floor at St Bartholomew's Hospital...
How did this project come about and why?
Myself and Senior Sister on ward 5C, Debbie Spencer Palmer, have worked together on this project. We both attended the 'Leading Change - Adding Value' talk by Tommy Whitelaw a few months ago and were inspired by the experiences he encountered while caring for his mother who had dementia.
What is the ‘What Matters to You’ project and what does it aim to achieve?
The aim of the project is to encourage and support more conversations between the staff who provide health care and their patients, families and carers. It's to shift the focus from 'what is wrong with you?' to ‘what matters to you?’.
How did you start the ball rolling?
Following the Leading Change – Adding Value workshop, Debbie and I made similar pledges and got together to discuss starting a pilot on Debbie’s ward - 5C. We did some research and came up with a patient information sheet and questionnaire.
We then bought the white boards and pens and started educating the ward staff about the project and how we wanted to implement it.
What has the pilot involved? How long has it been running for?
Prior to starting the pilot we registered our pilot with Clinical Effectiveness, printed information leaflets, purchased white boards and pens and educated staff. The pilot started on 5 November 2018 and ran for 8 weeks before we analysed questionnaires, which we asked patients to fill in when they were discharged.
As a result of this feedback, we have implemented the 'What Matters to You' project permanently on ward 5C.
What were the key findings of the pilot?
We received 9 completed questionnaires. Of these 89% (n=8) patients reported that they had written on their boards while 11% (n=1) stated they had not. Of the questionnaires received 67% (n=6) stated that they had been asked about what they had written on their board and that this had started a conversation while 22% (n=2) stated they had not been asked, and 11% (n=1) did not write on the board.
Several patients told us on their questionnaire what they had written with comments like: ‘Just a warm smile’, ‘A less powerful shower’, ‘To get better’ and ‘To see my son’. Finally we asked for ideas to improve the relationships we have with our patients and were told to ‘put the boards in a more visible place’ ‘make the boards bigger’ and ‘make sure pens are available’.
What has the feedback taught you / What improvements will you make?
We've learned that we often ask our patients "How are you today?" but we don’t ask "What matters to you?", and what matters to our patients is often very different to what we might expect. Our agendas are primarily based around physical wellbeing. This project has allowed us to not only recognise this but it is encouraging us to provide holistic care to all our patients.
What stage is the project at now and what’s next?
The pilot has finished but we are continuing to use the 'What Matters to You' boards on ward 5c, with the plan being to roll these out to the rest of the 5th floor.
What advice would you give to any colleagues who have an idea to improve patient care, but don’t know where to start?
Our advice would be...If you really believe your idea / project will improve patient care / experience you have to persevere.
What’s your favourite thing about your job?
My favourite thing about my job as Matron is working with the hardworking and dedicated teams on the 5th floor, when I receive cards and letters of thanks from patients, their families and carers I know that the teams have made a difference, that they have done a good job. It sounds very cliché but it really is a privilege to be a part of people’s lives at what is often the most distressing time they have ever had, and if our care can improve that experience then our job is worthwhile.
What’s the most memorable feedback you’ve had from a patient in this pilot?
The most memorable feedback was from a Chinese lady who couldn’t speak any English. She left a message written in Chinese writing on her board. The team had lots of fun trying to translate it into English. It simply said ‘thanks’.
What does ‘outstanding patient care’ mean to you?
Outstanding care to me is clinical experts delivering safe, effective patient centred care in a state of the art environment.
Happy #ExpOfCare Week everyone!