Reflection, Liverpool Care Pathway

I am a rehab support worker at level three of the skills for health (2009) framework, within a multidisciplinary team of nurses, therapy and healthcare. This reflective account looks at my involvement and contribution to the care of an elderly gentleman, nursed in his own home living with his wife who provided him with nursing care between his private carer visits. The gentleman was also receiving care from a private agency and had district nurse involvement, as his condition worsened he had been referred by his doctor to a specialist palliative care team who assessed the patient and put him on the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP). The LPC is a best-practice model of care, supporting care in the last hours/days of life driving the quality of care we give to patients and relatives (Ellershaw and Wilkinson, 2011). The LCP was developed 1997 as an integrated care pathway enabling us to focus on the quality of care delivery, supporting the individual and family needs. Providing on-going assessment, care after death, clear documentation and covers physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs. (LCP Pocket Guide 2011).
For this reflection I will be using the Gibb`s (1988) reflective cycle as a guide to focus on my actions, thoughts and involvement but also to help me reflect on the thoughts and actions of all the people; carers, family and the patient that were involved. I feel comfortable using the prompts in the Gibb`s cycle as they are clearly set out and follow a logical path I also feel it is an appropriate tool for this level of study. In line with; the NHS confidentially codes of practice (2003), the Data Protection Act (1998) and the NMC Code (2008) I have protected the patients confidentiality and renamed him John.
It was agreed that we would supply support to the private agency care team that were already in place as Johns care needs increased. I have had experience nursing palliative patients from when I worked on an elderly care ward, but there I had the