„The health system must be oriented not only towards treating illness but also towards other human needs at different stages of life. When a patient no longer requires active treatment due to their health condition but cannot safely care for themselves at home, it is very important to ensure quality, professional, and dignified nursing.
Investments in palliative care and nursing services are an integral part of the rapidly growing Vilnius health system. Renovated hospital facilities will not only allow more patients to be admitted but also provide them with safer and better conditions, and their relatives with more peace of mind and assurance,” says Vilnius city deputy mayor Simona Bieliūnė.
3 new wards installed
At the Mykolas Marcinkevičius Hospital Palliative Care and Nursing Department, located at Kauno St. 7, inpatient general nursing, care for patients in a vegetative state, and dementia care services are provided.
After completing renovation works in the summer, 2 additional double rooms and one single room were installed in the department, and the number of patients admitted at one time increased to 70. Patients in the department are mostly treated and cared for in double and triple rooms; there are also three single rooms with private sanitary facilities and showers.
The completed works will allow the institution to admit more patients, help ensure better treatment and nursing conditions, and provide relatives with more opportunities to be close to a patient in serious condition.
The renovation was carried out with the institution’s funds during the summer period, with nearly 68 thousand euros allocated for works and goods.
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Nursing is not limited to medical care
Last year, 426 patients were treated and cared for in the Palliative Care and Nursing Department of Mykolas Marcinkevičius Hospital. It is estimated that services were provided to them over more than 23 thousand bed days.
Patients in the hospital are ensured round-the-clock health care, symptomatic treatment, and nursing. Assistance is provided when needed to meet the patient’s daily needs, such as eating or personal hygiene care.
“When active treatment is already completed, but a person still requires constant medical specialist supervision, it is especially important that the patient and their relatives feel safe, heard, and can maintain their privacy. Therefore, we assess each patient’s needs individually, taking into account their condition and possible risks,” says Rimvydas Turčinskas, head of Mykolas Marcinkevičius Hospital.
64 employees take care of the patients treated and nursed in the department: doctors, general practice nurses, physiotherapists, massage specialists, medical psychologists, nursing assistants, and social workers.
If necessary, the hospital provides not only nursing but also health-strengthening procedures, such as therapeutic exercise or massage. If the patient’s condition worsens, the patient can be transferred to the active treatment or general intensive care department.
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