AMOREM activated emergency action plan in response to winter storms
During the recent winter storms AMOREM activated its emergency action plan (EAP) to ensure patients, their loved ones and the staff were safe and taken care of. The action plan was implemented by AMOREM’s Compliance Officer Tammy Clark on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 24th.
During the EAP staff met daily to discuss patient needs, developed plans to ensure those needs were taken care of and that staff who were driving out in the weather were safe. Many staff members stayed overnight at one of AMOREM’s patient care units to ensure the patients in those facilities would be cared for.
“Our patients are often physically fragile, dependent on medications, oxygen, equipment and supplies just to maintain comfort,” Clark said. “In preparation for the inclement weather, each patient’s needs were assessed to meet their individualized care needs. Emergency plans were reviewed and discussed with our patient and families to prevent lapses in care.”
Phone calls were made to all of AMOREM’s hospice and palliative medicine patients to ensure their safety and comfort even when road conditions would not allow staff to travel to the patient’s home.
AMOREM staff went the extra mile to make sure all patient needs were taken care of – even some of the simpler requests…
One patient staying at the Forlines Patient Care Unit in Hudson made a special request to their care team – “Could I please have some snow cream?”.
RN Anita Haas and CNA Kayleigh Thomas, who were working at the patient care unit, made it their mission to meet the request. There was plenty of snow and all the necessary ingredients…except vanilla. The roads were too treacherous due to the snow to send someone to a grocery store.
Following an extensive search of the facility, they found just enough vanilla to make a delicious batch of snow cream. Three patients enjoyed this wintery treat on a beautiful snowy night.
A batch of snow cream was not on the patient’s plan of care…but it sure made a difference and is a wonderful example of the beautiful ways that AMOREM strives to improve quality of life for patients and their families.
“How hospice care is delivered matters just as much as what care is delivered,” Clark said. “I am proud to be a part of an organization where we can still uphold our mission even in the most unpredictable circumstances. I am very grateful for a team that lives the mission and vision of AMOREM.”
AMOREM called off its emergency action plan on Monday, Feb. 9th.
AMOREM is the result of the 2021 merger of two like-minded, respected and well-established North Carolina organizations—Burke Hospice and Palliative Care and Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care—to maintain the legacy of community-based hospice care.