How to better manage the end of life and relieve patient pain ? In Valognes, within the Simone Veil hospital, a palliative care unit opened this Monday, November 4, 2024. In Manche, until now, there was only one other unit of this type in Granville, as well as 3 mobile palliative care units in Avranches, Saint-Lô and Valognes.
In Valognes the reflection was launched 10 years ago, but did not see the light of day due to financial constraints, explains Firas Abbas, one of the doctors behind the project, and today head of the service. ” If there were no specific means for this unit, there was no point in creating it. Few means, that is to say little care. And that wasn't the goal.”
Today the means have been put on the table, including a contribution from the ARS, the Regional Health Agency. A team of more than 20 people will supervise the service: 9 nurses, 9 caregivers, 2 psychologists as well as external workers such as physiotherapists and social workers. The unit has 10 conventional hospitalization beds and 2 day hospital beds. Simon Lévy supervises this specific team. “The objective is to provide a lot of comfort, it is to seek to take care of all kinds of pain, physical pain. But not only that. It also means psychological pain, social pain and spiritual pain. And when we talk about patients, we are talking about patients whose illness will not be cured, but on the other hand these are patients who we will be able to treat, supportr.”
“Add life to days”
A support that has been designed in the new space, completely renovated with a kitchen that can be prepared on demand, and also a family lounge, to rest and have a coffee.
Families who can be welcomed whenever they want, children too. The key word is to adapt, explain Magali and Manon, two nurses from the department. For them, such a proposal changes everything.” Having a dedicated service means really working, being at the patient's rhythm, not systematically waking them up in the morning, rather letting them wake up and adapting our care, our care schedules to the patient's rhythms, needs and desires. It’s truly putting yourself at the service of the patient. And as many caregivers also say, it's adding life to the day, adding life, real life.” underlines Magali. And Manon, at her side, completes ” Taking time means taking time with patients. It's a small unit. We will really have all this time to devote to the patient and his family. If we need to sit with the patient and talk for an hour, we will be able to do something other than in another department where it is more complicated to do. “
Jacqueline FARDEL
A team that will also stick together to get through difficult times, united in the same desire, concludes Dr. Abbas : “ To feel dignity, to feel well-being in misfortune. I always use this phrase “there is everything to do when there is nothing left to do and we will try to do it as much as possible. “
An approach that is still underdeveloped since in Manche only one other fixed palliative care unit exists in Granville. In Manche, there are also 3 mobile palliative care units in Avranches, Saint-Lô and Valognes.
In France, only 30% of patients who need it have access to palliative care according to the French Society for Support and Palliative Care (SFAP).
