Oooh I could strangle the MD and NP!

We've had a woman in our facility who was in end-stage Alzheimer's and quickly declining over the past couple of weeks. She was refusing to even swallow, let puree food just fall out of her mouth, etc. So, we nurses thought hospice was the next call. Apparently it wasn't that important to the MD and NP covering this woman. The NP was in Friday afternoon to see some residents, and, according to the 7-3 nurse's note did not want to start hospice "secondary to it being the weekend. MD will follow up on Monday." WHAT? So, the 3-11 nurse was B.S. about the decision, called the covering MD and got an order for Morphine Sulfate. At 3:20am this morning I pronounced her deceased.

I am so angry and frustrated for this resident. She has no family, her HCP/POA (an old HHA of hers) didn't know where to send the body, and the body was still in the room at 7:50am. UGH. Even when I called my ADON she had no idea what to do. The day nurse said she would F/U around 8am.

It just disgusted me that no one CARED for this woman at all. No one thought of HER. Thank god for the 3-11 nurse, who actually pulled through for her.