My name is Louise Dickety, and I am a community Advanced Nurse Practitioner at Mountbatten Hampshire. For the past 11 years, I’ve had the privilege of providing end-of-life care to local people.

After completing my nursing training, this was my very first job. I already knew about Mountbatten because my best friend’s dad was cared for and died at the hospice. She was always roping me into helping raise money to say thank you, so Mountbatten already held a special place in my heart.

During my training, I saw how important palliative care was—and how often it was overlooked in hospitals. I knew I wanted to make a difference by providing end-of-life care that was tailored to each individual and their family.

As a Mountbatten nurse, I’ve worked in both the inpatient unit and the community team. Before the Mountbatten community team was established, I worked on the inpatient unit, and I’ll never forget the helplessness I felt when we received phone calls from relatives in the middle of the night. They needed our help, and we knew what to do, but as inpatient unit nurses, we couldn’t go to them.

Now, thanks to the Mountbatten community team, we can be there when nobody else is—day or night.

Every day at Mountbatten is different for me. Some days, I’m based in the community hub at the hospice building in West End, Southampton. Other days, I’m out in the community, visiting people in their homes.

When a patient and their family first allow you into their home, it’s a truly special moment. They’re inviting you into their private space, trusting you to become part of their support network. We walk alongside them through their journey, sharing in both the good and the difficult times.

Some days, I spend my time taking phone calls from patients and their loved ones—arranging visits, giving advice, and even prescribing medicines over the phone. Each person is treated as an individual. Some may need more regular support, such as symptom management or in-person care, while others simply need to know we’re at the end of the phone if their circumstances change.

If you’re feeling nervous or unsure about reaching out to Mountbatten, please don’t be. Even if it’s just for a chat, give us a call. We’ll explain what we can do to help, and you might be surprised by how much support we can offer.

As a Mountbatten nurse, my job is to fulfil your wishes. If you want to stay at home, I will do everything I can to make that happen.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I feel incredibly proud to work for Mountbatten and to be a Mountbatten nurse.

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