DiversityNursing Blog

Pamela Moss Blais, 55
Hospice Admissions Nurse
Norfolk, Virginia

As a hospice admissions nurse my job is to explain the process to new patients. I’m the very first face they see as they embark on their journey. That’s what I call it, a “journey.” Since I admit patients I don’t carry a caseload. I meet them once and then they float out of my life.

I was an ER nurse for 18 years. I saw patients who were resuscitated whether or not it was ethically correct. I saw families get hope when there was clearly none.

In hospice, the family is your patient. They’re truly living their darkest days. For many of them, this admissions meeting is an overwhelming process. Every emotion that they have inside of them that maybe even hasn’t ever surfaced might come to the top. But I don’t want families to cry.

During that first meeting I don’t say: “So this is what we do for people who are dying.” I say: “Hospice is not about dying. It is about living the remainder of your life how you want to. Not how I want you to, not how your husband, wife, daughters, or sons want you to, and not how the doctor wants you to, but how you want to.”

If you think about the last time you went to the doctor, he probably said, “Okay, this is what I think. These are the tests I want to run.” Nobody asks you, “What do you think? Does this sound reasonable? Do you want to do it?” Nobody tells patients how their quality of life is going to go down the toilet when they get chemo. So it’s sometimes hard for patients to wrap their head around the idea that everything is their choice now, they’re driving the ship. That’s the mission of hospice.

I encourage my patients to live because I want them to know: This is not about assuming the sick role. This is about getting up every day, taking a shower, getting dressed — if you can do that — eating, going out with your family — whatever it is you want to do. I recently met with a patient who was a plane enthusiast. He wanted to go to some Top Gun show in Delaware. I encouraged him to go …

I believe that the people who are most successful at hospice are good observers. They can read vibes and figure out the situation before they say a word. Sometimes I meet with patients in the hospital. Sometimes they’re in a nursing home. Often they are in their home. Before I even begin to discuss hospice, I try to figure out the patient’s faith. Do they even have a faith? I don’t ask directly … I do some detective work. If I’m at their house I look for crosses or iconography. I’ve seen people from all walks of life: Jewish, Buddhist, Jehovah Witness, Wiccan.

I think hard about my physical presentation. I don’t want anything too flashy or festive. Today I have on blush and lipstick and a little bit of eyeliner, but it’s very conservative. So is my dress. I make sure there’s no cleavage exposed or anything that would offend. I’m Jewish, but I don’t wear any religious jewelry. When I see someone dressed in scrubs that have Froot Loops on them or something, I say to myself, “Really? You look like you are in pajamas.”

My dad a pediatric allergist/immunologist in Norfolk. I used to go with him to the children’s hospital to watch. But the pivotal moment came the summer just before I graduated college, this was during the Carter administration. I was sitting by the local pool and overheard some women talking about all the cuts to education and how they might lose their jobs. I had studied special education and taught art at camp for mentally challenged kids, and I loved it. But would I have a job?

Then my brother who is a year older than me broke his neck when he was body surfing in the sea. He was 25 and home for the weekend from college. He suggested that I become a nurse, I spent so much time caring for him.

The other night I admitted a woman who has metastatic bladder cancer. I was instructing the family to give medicine, but I could tell they were nervous. They said they knew how to do it, but the mother was refusing. You could sense the stiffness and the fear in the room. And once I showed them how to do it, it was like an immediate Aha! Immediate relief. Because they realized, I can do that. I did that. These little tiny steps are big.

There’s so much information that has to be explained, I have to use my words very carefully. I want them to know there is a light. I want them to see that and feel it when I do my mission.

Sometimes the family members will ask, “Well, what do I say to my mom? I can’t say, ‘Hey how was your day?’ I can’t ask questions about the future.” I say, “Talk about the past. Talk about stories, trips you went on together. Ask them to tell you stories you have never heard. Talk about fun times. That’s how you comfort your loved ones when you don’t know what to say.”

There was a patient I admitted who had two daughters who work in the health-care field. They said something like, “I checked her blood pressure.” I said, “Why did you do that? I don’t want you to feel you have to assume the role of a nurse. I want you to be the daughter.”

I want to know when I leave the house or the hospital or the nursing home that the family and the facility staff feels okay. Not great. Because they’re not going to feel great. But that they feel okay with the situation and that if anything happens, they’re going to reach out to us and we’re going to be there. If you sense a problem, even if it’s tiny, even if you’re not sure it’s a problem, call us. We would rather you call us 20 times a day with a little tiny problem than let it escalate.

I spend a lot of my time alone in my car, traveling to see patients. Sometimes I’m putting in over 100 miles a day, driving all over Virginia. On an eight-hour shift, I usually process two admissions. On a 12-hour shift, I can do three.

I’ve been in the trenches. I’ve worked in labor and delivery, I’ve worked in the pediatric ICU, I’ve worked in Medserv, I’ve worked in home health, I’ve worked for a cardiologist in an office setting. I worked in the ER. You can’t be a nurse unless you care about people. It’s exhausting in every way. Spiritually, psychologically, emotionally. Nursing has been my life. This is the unfortunate thing about nursing. I love nursing, but it’s extremely hard to find a work-life balance.

I’ve been a nurse for 25 years and I don’t even make $40 an hour. You’re on your feet for 12 to 14 hours a day, and rarely do you get a lunch or even a bathroom break. Most nurses work their entire career and never get a break. When people say,”There’s such a nursing shortage,” this is why. It’s a struggle for the nursing profession as a whole and they still haven’t figured it out.

My hospice-admissions job is the first I’ve ever had where I actually can say, “Y’know, I’m hungry. I’m going to go to a WaWa and get a cheesesteak.” But still, the only thing that gets me through the work week is that I’m off Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

I work Monday through Thursday, 40 hours — on paper. When I come home at night, I start in on the homework. Each admission is two to three hours of paperwork. That’s the killer. I spend the night buried in paperwork.

The company I work for is trying to rethink the flow of the documentation, but some of this stuff is based on federal requirements, the Medicare/Medicaid requirements, and all the insurance companies follow federal guidelines. They’re not going to rework the wheel. These things have to be done right if we want to get reimbursed. There’s no shortcut.

But I cannot work 12 hour shifts anymore. I have a daughter in college and a 15 year old who I rarely see during the week. I told my boss, I need to be home at dinner time so I can get organized, so I can talk to my daughter. She’s a teenager. She needs her mother.

We struggled to be parents. I had seven pregnancies but I only have two children. Being a mother is still my dream. I don’t want other people doing my job. Our other daughter was very sick a couple years ago. That was actually why I left the ER. And I told my husband, “You might put your job before us. But I’m never going to do it. I’ll be working at McDonald’s before I put my job before my family.” Luckily right now, my boss understands the struggle.

A lot of nurses feel like they don’t have value. I will admit it’s hard when you feel worthless. I’ve tried to make an impact with every job I’ve ever done but rarely got accolades. A couple of weeks ago, I really thought about leaving hospice. I’m tired. I’m fed up.

And then all of a sudden, people are telling me I do a good job. People have started copying the way I put my notes in. I got a little promotion and was asked to be a mentor. It’s been hard for me to accept it. It’s just so odd after so many years trying to climb the ranks in health care. I called my husband and said, “Something suspicious is going on.” People are complimenting me. Why all of a sudden now? I took it as a sign that, for now, I will stay in hospice. Maybe I’m truly having an impact.

Sometimes, I’m taking care of people who are my age or younger. Imagine being robbed of your life during your 50s. You have every right to be the angriest person in the world. You’re going to die, you see it. The end of the tunnel — you can see it. I can’t see the end of my tunnel. I’m not dying. These people know it’s coming. It might not be next month, but it’s going to be in the next six months. If you were told today you had six months to live, just think how differently you would look at your life … That gives me perspective. I regularly think, “Is my life really that bad? I’m having a bad day, but is it that bad? Am I this person? Am I dying?”

Let’s face it, it is often hard for a patient whose first language is English to navigate the technical medical vocabulary that we use in our healthcare system. Patients who don’t speak English well—or at all—are considered to have low health literacy. This is not necessarily a reflection of their intelligence, but rather of how hard it can be to educate them about their medical status, treatment plans, etc.

A language barrier can also make it hard for nurses to honor patient preferences, answer questions, and establish a trusting relationship—particularly when cultural differences exist regarding the patient’s concepts of wellness and illness. Perhaps most troubling is the fact that informed consent becomes a sticky issue, both legally and ethically, when a patient cannot understand his condition or ask questions about treatment options.

In regions with large Hispanic or Asian populations, many healthcare facilities have staff nurses who are bilingual. But what happens when you are caring for a patient that you can’t communicate easily with?

The ideal situation would be to use a professional translator who has training in medical vocabularies. These professionals are often available through a staffing service or a 24-hour telephone translation line. If you have access to these services, be sure to take advantage of them. And if you frequently encounter situations in which you feel a translator is required but none is available, you can encourage your hospital to contract with a translation service.

Often, friends or family members of the patient can step up to bridge the language gap. It’s advisable to use these ad hoc interpreters only as a last resort, because these non-professionals are more likely to make mistakes that can affect clinical outcomes. Friends or family members may have low health literacy themselves, may not fully understand a medical term that has no direct translation, or may inject their own personal views into the dialogue to the patient as an attempt to be helpful. The more complicated the medical case, the higher the likelihood of translation errors.

If you are communicating through a translator of any sort, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Begin by briefly advising the translator what you need from him/her: to translate the words of both parties as literally as possible, without adding or leaving out anything.
• Ask the translator if he/she knows of any general cultural beliefs that might come into play during medical treatment—such as a cultural preference for avoiding conflict, avoiding interactions with a person of the opposite gender, or avoiding anything that might seem like questioning the authority of a clinician.
• If the translator contracts with your employer, there is probably already a signed HIPAA agreement in place. If a family member or friend is translating, advise that person that the information being translated is considered confidential.
• Document the name of the person translating in the patient chart.
• Use the “teach back” method to convey medical information. You’ll be doing it through a translator, but the process can still help you assess how well the patient has understood the information being provided.

Census statistics indicate that nearly 47 million U.S. residents speak a foreign language at home, with a quarter of them reporting limited proficiency in English. These numbers practically ensure that you will encounter a language barrier at some point. Despite the difficulty in communicating, remember that you, as a nurse, are still responsible for providing a quality experience for the patient, including protecting his dignity, ensuring comfort, and advocating on his behalf. You also have to be diligent about assuring the data you document is as accurate. 

Everyone has a reason for going to nursing school and often different reasons for continuing education beyond that. I am one of the few RNs I know at my age who decided to become a nurse when I was in high school. Living in Washington state at the time, I participated in the Running Start program, which allowed me to take college prerequisite courses at the local community college. The tuition was covered by the high school; I just paid for books. I completed my nursing school prerequisites and applied to the associate’s degree in nursing program my senior year of high school.

As a sophomore in high school, I wanted to be a nurse practitioner. I knew once I was done with my ADN, I would transfer to Washington State University for my BSN. I had even chosen my NP program. I am quite the type A personality and had my life planned in 10th grade! Interestingly, my high school counselor always questioned my decision to go into nursing. And  while progressing through nursing school, I actually did change my mind. Because I have a type A personality, changing my planned path was difficult. It was one that I didn’t fully appreciate at the time, but I am thankful for today. I often reflect and tell others about what I learned along my 12-year journey. Here are the most important pieces of my self-reflection.

Pay attention to what piques your interest

As I started my RN to BSN program, I was still bound and determined to be a nurse practitioner. However, I really didn’t like pathophysiology nor pharmacology. I slugged through the material because I needed to learn it. But then came a leadership course. And as I was reading articles, I fell in love with the content. What I noticed was that many authors, all RNs, had MBAs. This made me pause. This was something I had not considered, primarily because I had never been exposed to it. As I finished my BSN, I decided I was going to get my MBA and not be a nurse practitioner.

Many of us get preconceived ideas of what we want to do based on what we know at the time. And many of us continue down a path because we do not pause to really determine if that is what we should still do. As you think about your next steps and what you want to do, pause and think. What piques your interest? Life is too short to not do what you love.

"Many of us get preconceived ideas of what we want to do based on what we know at the time. And many of us continue down a path because we do not pause to really determine if that is what we should still do.”

You get back what you put into it

During my MBA program, I couldn’t afford the time commitment to be on campus at times, so I chose an online education. At the time, many people were weary of online programs, thinking they lacked rigor and quality. This is where you need to make your own decisions. Regardless of the program type, I have seen students do the minimum work and try to sail through courses, checking off boxes, just to get the degree. As a faculty member, it is so disheartening to see. Why are you selling yourself short? It saddens me every time I overhear nurses say they didn’t learn anything when they went back to school. I am very leery of those individuals.

During my online program, I read everything and worked hard on my papers. I knew this would prepare me to be better at whatever I did. Today, I can tell the difference when I speak with someone who put in great effort to learn compared with the one who did not. It’s difficult to fake knowledge. You either know something or you don’t. So do not just treat this as a hoop to jump or check marks on a to do list. Your time is worth more than that, so spend it learning well. The time and money you are spending on education should make you better — a better nurse, a better person and an example for others. Maybe even an example to your children.

The more you learn, the more you realize you don’t know

Once I graduated with a doctoral degree, I proudly used my new initials after my name. What was interesting is that overnight, many people saw me as an expert. The perception was I had a doctoral degree, so I must know what you I’m talking about. In many ways through my dissertation I had become an expert in a particular area. But cue imposter syndrome! I feared I was really a fraud. I had to remind myself that there was no way I would ever know everything. There is so much to learn! You literally could spend every day of your life reading research articles and never know everything. What I learned wasn’t that I knew more than others; what I learned was the more you learn, the more you realize you don’t know.

So, realize that whatever stage you are at in your career or education or years of experience, there is a world out there much bigger than you or I could ever know!  Pause and think — are you happy with what you are doing and where you are going? Are you taking advantage of learning? And realize that no one knows everything. We are all lifelong learners.

Many healthcare organizations are striving to ensure sensitive and equitable care for individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ). Recent societal changes, including the legalization of gay marriage and Caitlyn Jenner’s very public journey to transgender female, have raised public awareness of LGBTQ issues. Yet many nurses find gaps in knowledge when caring for LGBTQ patients. 

Healthcare curricula in colleges and universities are still sadly lacking content regarding the unique needs of, and health risks for, individuals who fall outside the “traditional” heterosexual orientation of society. However, you can prepare for meeting the needs of these individuals by informing yourself, listening, and making some simple and practical adjustments in your nursing practice.

LGBTQ persons experience a number of healthcare disparities for many reasons: discrimination and social pressures, personal sexual behaviors, limited access to health insurance, higher rates of smoking and alcohol/substance misuse, higher rates of anxiety and depression, greater risk of sexually transmitted infections (including HIV), and increased incidence of some cancers. And when nurses encounter LGBTQ individuals in the clinical setting, they may create or contribute to these barriers to quality care due to lack of understanding and personal bias.

1. Expand your knowledge about sexual orientation and gender identity

To understand the needs of LGBTQ patients, nurses must expand their own knowledge on the subjects of sexual orientation (SO) or attraction, and gender identity (GI), or how one identifies with and experiences the world. Sexuality has long been defined as heterosexual by the dominant society, yet in reality, it encompasses a spectrum of needs, desires, and behaviors that can be fluid and changing over time.

2. Know key LGBTQ definitions

You can read about the meanings of asexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, and “queer,” descriptors that fall under the SO umbrella, as pointed out in More than Pink: LGBTQ Breast Health, a report published by Susan G. Komen, Puget Sound. Note that “queer,” formerly considered a derogatory term, is now considered by some to be a more fluid and inclusive descriptor than other words related to sexual orientation. Also, learn the meaning of terms such as agender, cisgender, transgender, gender fluid, and others that typically describe an individual’s gender identity.

3. Deepen your LGBTQ knowledge

Deepening your knowledge base will enrich your understanding of sexuality in general, and increase your nimbleness in identifying potential health risks for patients seeking your care.

Keep your knowledge up-to-date with ongoing training, reading, and learning from others who are skilled in communicating with and caring for these patients. Some good websites that can help you further your understanding include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the GLBT Health Access Project (Community Standards of Practice Section), Trans-Health.com (online magazine), Women’sHealth.gov, and many others, including sources for this article.

4. Create a welcoming environment for LGBTQ patients

LGBTQ individuals have a long history of discrimination at the individual and institutional levels, including the healthcare system. They may “scan” an environment to determine if it is a safe place to reveal personal information, especially about sexuality. Some things an individual may watch for and take note of during their time in your reception or waiting room area:

• Your organization’s nondiscrimination policy: Is it in a visible location?
• A rainbow flag, pink triangle, or other symbol of inclusiveness
• Availability of unisex restrooms
• Health education literature with diverse images and inclusive language, including information about LGBTQ health
• Posters announcing days of observance such as World AIDS Day, Pride, and National Transgender Day of Remembrance

5. Use inclusive language

It may take a little practice, but you can shift your vocabulary towards inclusiveness, opening the door for more open healthcare discussions. This can begin right in the waiting room as patients complete required forms. Rather than asking marital status, for example, the form might read, “relationship status: married, partnered, or other.” 

When asking patients to provide their names, include an additional space indicating “Preferred Name,” as a transgender individual may not wish to be called by a name that reflects their gender identity. Including “preferred pronoun” on a form shows understanding that someone may not identify as they appear.

6. Use gender-neutral language

Approach each interaction with open-mindedness, and a nonjudgmental attitude. Remember, your job as a healthcare professional is to assist the person in solving a health concern, or reducing the risk of future health problems. If your patient doesn’t feel comfortable sharing behaviors with you that are relevant, what good is the interaction? Conveying that the information shared in the provider-patient interaction is confidential may alleviate fears your patient has. 

When asking questions about sexual history and behaviors, preface questions with a statement such as, “So that I can best advise you about your health, I’d like to ask some questions related to sexual behaviors that I ask all my patients. ” Or, “It is our standard practice here to take a sexual history for every patient we serve.”

7. Ask open-ended questions

For example, asking, “Is there anything else that would help me ensure you get the most out of this visit?” can help patients share relevant health information.

Do not overwhelm patients with questions unrelated to the reason for their visit, or to enhance your own knowledge about transgender health. Focus on the behaviors impacting health rather than on SO/GI per se, so the conversation can positively influence health and foster acceptance. 

Prevent any “awkward pause” immediately after a patient shares SO/GI information. Practice your response in advance, such as “Thank you for being open with me; this will help me provide better care for you.” Role-playing your response can increase your own comfort with these situations.

8. Reflect the patient’s language

Avoid applying labels such as “gay.” Some people do not self-identify with any particular descriptive label, yet may have sex with partners of more than one sex or gender. Do not presume. For example, lesbian or gay men may have had or have sexual experiences with individuals of the opposite sex, and bisexual individuals may have long periods of monogamy; keep in mind that sexuality can evolve over time.

9. Investigate mental and physical health risks for LGBTQ patients

Be aware of the unique social pressures and health risks of LBGTQ patients. Societal phobias, violence, and hate crimes – and the fear of them -- are all too real for these individuals. Along with the potential for being ostracized from family and other social groups, this can contribute to chronic anxiety and depression.

LGBTQ individuals who are members of minority populations often face a double whammy of discrimination. Those with non-conforming sexual orientation or gender identity may also experience higher risk of suicide, as well as increased likelihood of tobacco use and drug/alcohol misuse.

It’s also important to build your awareness of the specific physical health problems LGBTQ individuals face. Lesbian women are more at risk for certain cancers due to the prevalence of obesity, nulliparity, or later pregnancy. Lesbian women are susceptible to many of the same sexually transmitted infections as heterosexual people and gay men. Thinking that this population isn’t at risk for these STIs can result in lack of appropriate screening and treatment. In addition to HIV infection, gay men may be at higher risk for anal cancer and can be particularly susceptible to body image issues in the desire to be attractive to other men. They may also experience a variety of cancers resulting from increased obesity and use of tobacco and alcohol.

10. Convey respect

Always remember that the LGBTQ patient in front of you has taken a courageous step to be in your office and disclose some of the most personal information about their lives. Having as positive and affirming an experience as possible will make it more likely the individual will seek future care in a timely manner. 

Becoming aware of resources specifically designed for LGBTQ individuals and making referrals as appropriate (e.g., support groups, smoking cessation groups or AA meetings, etc) will convey that you care enough to become informed about their particular needs. The quality of your interaction can truly make a difference in someone’s health -- and life.

Interested in more Diversity and Inclusion to-do's? 

But what about chief nursing officers? They aren't providing direct care at the bedside, but do they still experience moral distress?

The answer, according to a qualitative study published in the Journal of Nursing Administration in February, is yes. It's just taboo to talk about it.

"There's shame and isolation when you do have the experience, so it can make it very difficult for people to feel like they can openly discuss it," says Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, professor and director of the Nursing Leadership Institute at Florida Atlantic University.

Sherman is one of the study's authors. "I think that the other piece of it is, CNOs might not always label it as moral distress. But these are uncomfortable situations where they're making decisions against their values systems."

Through oral interviews, Sherman and her co-author, Angela S. Prestia, PhD, RN, NE-BC, discussed chief nursing officers' experiences of moral distress, including its short and long-term effects. Prestia is corporate chief nurse at The GEO Group.

The study's 20 participants described their experiences of moral distress, and several said they experienced it on more than one occasion. It was often related to issues around staff salaries and compensation, financial constraints, hiring limits, increased nurse-to-patient ratios to drive productivity, counterproductive relationships, and authoritative improprieties.

"For example, a physician went to someone over a CNO's head and said, 'I think you should pay a scrub tech more. She is very valuable to me," Prestia says. "And of course he was a high-admitter, high-profile physician."

The CEO approved the special compensation, creating a salary inequity among the other scrub techs.

In another scenario, six participants reported their CEOs had improper sexual relationships with staff members. Prestia points out that the CNOs did not object to these relationships because of religious or moral beliefs, but because they were harming productivity at the organization.

"In their [the CNOs'] mind' of right and wrong, these people had access to things that they should not have had access to and [those relationships] create barriers to getting the work of the organization accomplished."

Lasting Effects 
The study uncovered six significant themes related to CNO moral distress:

1. Lacking psychological safety
2. Feeling a sense of powerlessness
3. Seeking to maintain moral compass
4. Drawing strength from networking
5. Moral residue
6. Living with the consequences

CNOs reported they often felt very isolated during the experience of moral distress.

"If they pushed back on a decision because they felt it was in conflict with their values they were isolated within the organization and they no longer felt safe. They weren't invited to meetings. They weren't included in decision making," Sherman says.

Even though they took steps to do what they felt was right—documenting meeting minutes, reviewing policies and procedures, and referring to The Joint Commission standards—to maintain their moral compass, those efforts were often unsuccessful.

"What happened was when they were in this situation… they were beat down at every turn," Prestia says. "Then the 'flight' started to set in. 'Maybe I need to leave? Maybe I should resign? Maybe I need to start planning my exit strategy?' Or before they could do that, they were terminated."

Moral Residue
Even once they were out of the situation, many CNOs reported the experience left them with a 'moral residue.'

"It is a lingering effect of the moral distress. I liken it to a fine talc that lingers on your skin and it manifests itself either physically or emotionally," Prestia says. "We actually had several participants say, 'When I get a call about staffing now in my new job, all of a sudden I get this feeling of impending doom.'''

Both Sherman and Prestia hope this research will open up a larger conversation about CNOs and moral distress. They will present their findings at the AONE 2017 conference in March.

"What we found in the work that we did was, clearly, collegial support from a strong network is very important in building one's resiliency and being able to deal with these situations," Sherman says.

"I think that having others who've been through it is very important, which is why forums that allow people to talk about this candidly, when a CNO finds him or herself in this situation, become critical."

One hospital in Dorset, England has stumbled upon an unusual way of making tiny premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) feel safe and comforted: by giving them a tiny handmade octopus to curl up with.

According to Poole Hospital, where the practice of pairing preemies with crocheted cephalopods has become an ongoing ritual, these cuddly crafts do more than just calm the babies.

The idea originally hails from Denmark where Aarhus University Hospital has suggested that the creatures can actually help smaller babies grow and thrive. A spokesperson for Poole hospital stated that the decision to introduce the crocheted crafts to patients wasn’t based on published scientific research but contact with other hospitals who had found they made a noticeable difference to their little patients.

But it can't be just any toy. It must be an octopus.

So why these sea creatures exactly? The design of the crocheted tentacles gives the babies something to hold and squeeze, and that can be a good thing for regulating everything from oxygen intake to heartbeats. What's more, the tentacles might be helpful at keeping the tiny patients from pulling out their tubes.

A number of babies at Poole Hospital took to their new toys especially well. In a feature that in the Daily Echo last fall, it was revealed that premature twin sisters Jasmine and Amber Smith-Leach both benefited from the comfort of their new toys. Their neonatal nurses said they have no doubt these tiny octopuses have helped the girls.

What's more, in response to the story, the hospital's NICU has received a whole new supply of crocheted octopuses for future patients.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the kind response to our appeal for crochet octopi,” said Daniel Lockyer, matron of neonatal services. “We’ve now received over 200 octopi and have a year’s supply ready and waiting for our little patients! We’re not looking for anymore octopi for a little while so we can use these up.”

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the kind response to our appeal for crochet octopi,” said Daniel Lockyer, matron of neonatal services. “We’ve now received over 200 octopi and have a year’s supply ready and waiting for our little patients! We’re not looking for anymore octopi for a little while so we can use these up.”

Find the Octopus Pattern on our Pinterest!