Just need some encouragement

Specialties Case Management

Published

Specializes in MICU.

I have 4 years experience in ICU and have decided to be a field hospice case manager. My last day will be next thur and since my coworkers have learnt tht I'm leaving, they have not been very supportive( I know they dont have to). The comments I've heard a lot are like" oh, you'll know all the McDonalds in the area now to use their restrooms", "You are so odd when many ppl wanna come to the hospital while you are doing the opposite", or "Oh, so you will be going to people's home, thats very interesting" or " Its very depressing to do hospice".The nicer ones will said like" how do u know u like it, anyway, i hope u like it" I thought if they are not happy for me, at least they 'll wish me luck:crying2:. But they are making me to doubt that if Im making a wrong choice. But I know I dont wanna to do bedside forever and case management is sth I'm really interested. I'm here to ask for some encouragement and I will continue working towards my goal. thank you.

I understand what you're feeling right now. I want to ask you first...because it's not that clear to me, what is your reason for leaving your specialized area? I'm not questioning your decision..I just wanted to know, so that I can give you a better opinion suited to your interest. I wish to help. you can PM me, if you need someone to talk to, I may not be as experienced as you, but I think I can share some wisdom.

having done both, i can tell you that a lot of hospice nurses were icu nurses before. the difference between the noisy, high-tech, hard-to-be-personalized and the zero-to-very-low tech and completely personalized care in a calm and quiet home or home-like setting is huge, and very attractive to some folks.

your assessment skills will be very useful, but you will be coming at them from the diametric opposite of the do-everything mode of the icu. you will be using them to provide means of making the patient comfortable, being an expert at symptom management. your practice will be nurse-driven, not physician-driven. you will find it very satisfying in many regards.

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