Currently, the patronage sister is increasingly becoming that specialist, without whose help it is impossible to carry out comprehensive patient care, carrying out all necessary procedures and ensuring a recovery period.
Patronage can be carried out in various directions:
- Patronage of the deceived.
- Patronage of the elderly.
- Patronage of the disabled.
- Patronage of cancer patients.
Depending on the specialization, a qualified and experienced specialist helps not only his ward, but also mentally supports his relatives, explaining how to behave and take care of the patient.
In addition, there are various patronage services at Orthodox churches and charitable organizations, which, in addition to the main areas of patronage, provide assistance in the rehabilitation of drug-addicted and HIV-infected people.
Responsibilities and tasks of the patronage sister
A patronage nurse is a qualified specialist in the field of medicine, who comes to the house and provides assistance in caring for the newborn (in the case of newborn patronage) and performs simple medical procedures.
A patronage nurse monitors not only the condition of the ward, but also the living conditions. Her responsibilities also include timely notification to the attending physician about a change in the patient’s health status, monitoring the availability and taking of all necessary medications, providing psychological assistance to the patient and teaching relatives the necessary procedures for caring for him. She can be sent from the hospital at the place of residence, from a paid patronage service, from a charitable non-profit organization.
Nursing Sister for Newborns
Newborn patronage is a compulsory program of medical services provided free of charge at the place of residence. The pediatrician who comes to the house examines the newborn, checks the well-being of the mother, gives the necessary recommendations for caring for the baby. In addition, the tasks of the patronage sister include checking the conformity of the living conditions of the family and the place of stay of the baby with all established norms and requirements.
The first visit to the pediatrician will take place within three days after the discharge of the newborn and mother from the hospital. After this, within a month, the patronage sister will come home several times.
If parents do not want to conduct such an observation, a written statement must be written indicating the objective reason for the refusal.
Patronage of an elderly person
In old age care and support of close people is especially necessary, but working relatives do not always have the opportunity to provide attention and help to an elderly person. Therefore, for many families, the patronage sister for an elderly person becomes an indispensable assistant in caring for elderly relatives.
A qualified specialist will become an excellent companion for a person who is in need of psychological support and communication, will look after him in the absence of relatives, help him take a walk, monitor the health of the ward and conduct the necessary complex of medical procedures.
In the case when round-the-clock care is required, a nursing nurse is hired.
Such services are provided, as a rule, by paid specialized services. There is also free patronage from charitable organizations, but their goal is to care for and support single elderly people who find themselves in difficult situations without the help of relatives.
Patronage of the disabled and seriously ill
In the case when the treatment of a seriously ill person takes place at home, relatives are not always able to carry out the whole range of procedures for caring for him, to cope with the psychological stress that occurs when understanding the helplessness and serious illness of a loved one.
In such situations, it is better to turn to the services of a patronage sister. When caring for seriously ill and disabled people, a daycare worker performs the following functions:
- Provides patient care, including sanitary and hygienic.
- It controls changes in the patient’s state of health (measuring body temperature, pressure, etc.).
- It controls the availability and reception of all necessary medicines.
- Notifies the attending physician about changes in the patient's health status.
- Teaches the patient's relatives the correct technique for caring for him.
- It provides psychological support to the patient and his relatives.
Visiting a foster sister
It is better to prepare in advance for a visit to a foster sister. In the case of the patronage of newborns, it is necessary to prepare shoe covers, a towel, a passport, a medical pole. It must be remembered that the visit will happen at the most unexpected time, but most often medical workers come in the morning. In addition, it should be borne in mind that the patronage sister will examine the conditions in which the child is and can ask questions to make sure that the family is well-being.
In the case of the patronage of the elderly or disabled, when an employee of this service visits the ward every day, it is also necessary to prepare a working space for him. It should be provided with the necessary equipment and medicines. The time at which the patronage sister will come to the house, the regime of the day, the time of walks with an elderly person, and ways of organizing his leisure are discussed in advance.
Orthodox patronage services
Orthodox patronage service can be created at the church, monastery, charity foundation and other non-profit organizations. Services are provided free of charge, activities are carried out through private donations. In addition to the main areas, service employees assist in the rehabilitation of drug addicts, provide babysitting services for low-income families with many children, and work in hospices and HIV centers.
In the case of incurable diseases, patronage sisters provide palliative care, which is very important to prevent cases of suicide among cancer patients.
Psychological and spiritual support provided by members of Orthodox patronage services helps to alleviate the condition of abandoned and terminally ill people.