Nursing assistant and caregivers: the perfect team for patient comfort

In the health network, nursing assistants work in close cooperation with caregivers in many settings, especially when they provide home care or end-of-life care. For the past five years, Mélanie Cloutier, a nursing assistant who works in the fields of geriatrics and cognitive impairment, has been forging relationships of trust with the families and loved ones of the patients who cross her path at the CHSLD Jeanne-Le Ber of the CISSS Lucille-Teasdale.

“ The role of the caregiver in our work is crucial. We give them instructions and things to check so they can advise us of the patient's condition. They are our eyes. We are a team, ” describes Ms. Cloutier.  

In her work, this nursing assistant focuses on empathy and kindness when she meets with the family and loved ones of a new patient. She informs them of the various things to watch for in monitoring the general condition of the person receiving care and teaches them some techniques such as insulin injection. “ We must ensure that the family is properly equipped to provide the care and to take note of information that may appear trivial but is essential to us regarding patients who are receiving home care or going away for a few days, ” she says.

Our role is to ensure the comfort of our patients. Collaboration with their loved ones is the key to achieving this. We are nursing assistants because we enjoy taking care of people.

End-of-life care

Mélanie Cloutier also provides assistance to caregivers in their loves one's various end-of-life stages. She teaches them comfort care and answers their questions, always providing reassurance. “ You have to be calm and comforting. You have to keep in mind that these people are entrusting a stranger with the care of someone they love. It is important to me that they feel confident, because these last moments are what they will remember. My role is to help them like family, ” says the nursing assistant.

Ms. Cloutier makes it her duty to share these emotionally challenging events with families in a respectful way. “ We assist the family so that they can face the situation with confidence,” points out Mélanie Cloutier . “When we help the family in this process and they are reassured, then we have done our job well. I can’t describe to you how rewarding that is.”

Mélanie Cloutier is passionate about her work and admits that she can't wait to get back to work after a few days off. Sometimes, she pays her patients and their loved ones a visit during her time off. “Sometimes I bring in my little dog on my days off to alleviate the boredom of the people on the floor. It's crazy to see how happy an animal can make the patients! I remember one of them who could no longer walk. What a surprise I had when he made his way to the station alone to come and see the dog!”  remembers the nursing assistant.

“Our role is to ensure the comfort of our patients. Collaboration with their loved ones is the key to achieving this. We are nursing assistants because we enjoy taking care of people, ” sums up Mélanie Cloutier.