[jharper]

Our hospice does not have a separate admissions staff. Each RN pretty much admits the patients that s/he cares for except if there is an after hours/weekend admit when they are off.

This is different than what I am used to doing and it makes the caseload a little tougher because our admits are usually about 2-2.5 hours in the home, but I like dealing with the patient from the beginning.

What is 'normal'? Is this thing that is new to me the norm, or have I always worked at the typical, and what do you all prefer?

[aimeee]

We have tried it both ways. Having the case managers do their own admissions improves continuity but it wreaks havoc on their ability to plan their regular visits. Also, not everyone is equally skilled at the admission process. We have gone back to having a dedicated admission team.

[doodlemom]

We have a separate staff but I've seen it both ways. Smaller agencies usually don't have separate admissions nurses. It makes (financial) sense to have a separate admissions team. When case loads get high, staff is less likely to admit patients because they feel overloaded.