Inpatient Hospice Opens at SBH

May 1, 2010 | Categories: Openings

St. Barnabas Hospital has opened a seven-bed inpatient hospice unit that provides comfort and care for terminally ill patients and their family members. The beautifully refurbished unit is operated in collaboration with Hospice of New York and directed by Dr. Christine Peterson, a leading member of Hospice of New York’s team in the Bronx and Manhattan.

Although hospice care is typically provided in the home, there are times when a patient’s acute condition requires hospitalization. St. Barnabas is now prepared to receive those patients and meet their specific needs.

“Different rules apply,” in caring for hospice patients, says Dr. Peterson. “We avoid invasive procedures and disruption of the patient’s environment.” There are fewer tests, minimal blood draws and fewer interruptions to take the patient’s vital signs. Instead, the emphasis is on symptom control, pain management and comfort care.

With a homelike environment, the hospice unit provides a communal kitchen, a lounge with a flat-screen TV and computer access, and a peaceful meditation room. Around-the-clock visiting, and accommodations in patient rooms for a family member who wants to spend the night, mean families have unlimited access to their loved one.

Working with Dr. Peterson and staff from Hospice of New York are St. Barnabas intensivists and SBH nurses who have received special training in hospice care. The interdisciplinary team also includes social workers and a chaplain. Together, the hospice team provides not only medical care but also addresses the social and spiritual needs of the patient and family members.