[Wren]

Hospice is my "true" calling but I haven't worked as a Hospice RN for several years. I'd like to return but I keep hearing stories about how brutal the on-call schedules are.

How often do you have to be on-call? Anyone have a dedicated after hours or on-call team? Anyone work for VistaCare or Odyssey? (2 agencies in my area) Thanks for sharing!

[doodlemom]

We are lucky where I work in that we have dedicated on call staff and we rarely have to provide back up. It's the best gig that I've had as a hospice nurse (as far as on-call goes.) I know a couple of people who work for Odyssey and Vista-Care and they have horrible schedules, but that may not be that way in every branch. It depends on how big their census is. I would ask a LOT of questions if you have an interview.

[military spouse]

Hello,
I worked for Odyssey prior to my current job (relocated). We had a dedicated on-call staff and only rarely did the RN case managers need to take call or provide back-up. When we did take call, it was 1/2 our hourly wage unless we were called out and then it was full-wage or perhaps 1.5 times hourly wage if it pushed our hours into overtime.

Where I currently live, the RN case managers rotate call and are paid $2.00 per hour on-call.

[Wren]

Thanks Doodlemom and Military Spouse. I appreciate the info. I went on a job interview on Friday and I am thrilled to learn that the hospice that I am interested in has an on-call and after hours team! I would never be required to be on call.

The position is also on a team that covers the area that I live in which is awesome because the office is a fair distance from my home. I completed an application and am ready to take a position if it is offered.

[military spouse]

That sounds great!! Enjoy!

[doodlemom]

Wow, good luck. That sounds fantastic.

[OneThunder]

Originally Posted by Wren

Hospice is my "true" calling but I haven't worked as a Hospice RN for several years. I'd like to return but I keep hearing stories about how brutal the on-call schedules are.

How often do you have to be on-call? Anyone have a dedicated after hours or on-call team? Anyone work for VistaCare or Odyssey? (2 agencies in my area) Thanks for sharing!

Just a little note about on call. "Brutal" would only be if you had a huge census and quite a few death visits per night. I work at Odyssey and my PCM upholds the service standard of daily contact. She also has us "tuck in" our patients on Friday so that all of those problems that crop up are addressed BEFORE they become major issues for the on call staff. Checking to make sure patients have enough meds, dressing supplies, (or maybe DME changes) are things that can grow to crisis proportions on the weekend when the oncall nurse has to locate them. "Tucking" your patients in before the weekend and making sure you make daily contact, leaves the oncall staff to spend time working with changes in condition and death visits. TEAMWORK

[doodlemom]

We had over 200 patients at the previous hospice and case managers were back up to the primary on call nurse. With that many patients stuff comes up no matter how well the case managers tuck in their patients - and our nurses did a fantastic job of making sure everyone had everything they needed. We'd occasionally have 5 or 6 TOD's in one night. With that many patient's, stuff comes up and yes, it could be pretty brutal. Fortunately at my current hospice I am rarely on call-and when I am it is to be 3rd or 4th back up. It is incredible. Good case managers can make on call a lot better, but I think that each office is different. If you're census is only 60 or 70 for example, on call could be a breeze.

[hospicemom]

where I work in wisconsin the typical weekend roataion/on call is every 5 weeks. Our census currently in 53..highest it has been ever I on the other hand am the "weekend nurse" so I work 3 days a week plus every other weekend with a caseload and the pager from friday at 4:30 til monday at 8 a.m. I am given an LPN and a CNA to help with the caseloads on the weekend, plus I have a "backup" RN incase I start drowning on the weekends. It works out nice. But typically I need to utalize my backup nurse to asst with death visits and what not...however, try to limit the back up use.

Originally Posted by Wren

Hospice is my "true" calling but I haven't worked as a Hospice RN for several years. I'd like to return but I keep hearing stories about how brutal the on-call schedules are.

How often do you have to be on-call? Anyone have a dedicated after hours or on-call team? Anyone work for VistaCare or Odyssey? (2 agencies in my area) Thanks for sharing!

[OneThunder]

Originally Posted by doodlemom

We had over 200 patients at the previous hospice and case managers were back up to the primary on call nurse. With that many patients stuff comes up no matter how well the case managers tuck in their patients - and our nurses did a fantastic job of making sure everyone had everything they needed. We'd occasionally have 5 or 6 TOD's in one night. With that many patient's, stuff comes up and yes, it could be pretty brutal. Fortunately at my current hospice I am rarely on call-and when I am it is to be 3rd or 4th back up. It is incredible. Good case managers can make on call a lot better, but I think that each office is different. If you're census is only 60 or 70 for example, on call could be a breeze.

Absolutely, like I said, huge case load.