Having trouble adjusting to role as hospice nurse

Hey, Leslie! No...I don't interpret the 'look' as terrified or fearful when our patients are communicating with unseen visitors but it sounded like imitation might have been misreading what she was seeing. Also, she reported not just seeing this 'terrified look' once but seemingly with all of her actively dying patients which is why I was more inclined to consider that imitation was misreading what was going on vs. poor symptom management. I'm hopeful that she can understand what is driving this issue and come to peace with what is truly transpiring vs. probable projection of own fears (which I agree is likely). Thanks!

I have been a hospice nurse for 10 years. These feeling that you are having will pass as you get used to the job. You will soon feel a sense of relief when one passes due to the suffering that they have had. You will never forget the look in their eyes but remember that towards the end of their life , they are '' looking '' but are really not there. You are helping them when no one else can and making them comfortable so that they can have a '' good'' death.. I hope this helps..Pat

I am a nurse tho' not a hospice nurse but what was written about the "look of terror" just happened to me this past July - with my own mother who was on hospice. When the time came for her to pass her eyes were HUGE & somewhat bugged out - I've witnessed death before both personally & professionally & have not ever seen anyone look like this - I did see someone struggle whose life support was turned off but with her it was different - she looked exactly as the poster described - terrified. We had talked about her dying, she accepted what was to come - the few days before she died she would follow directions but didn't talk at all. She also, before going mute, did talk to people who had passed on before and seemed to see them but she was not afraid - this is one of the hardest things I'm dealing with with her death - is how she looked - all I could do was place her head on my shoulder until she passed - I talked to her quietly the whole time but still..so I don't know but I do know the poster is correct about this look.

CLW2350...I am so sorry that this happened for you and your mother. I hope that she did not struggle with symptoms in the final hours of her life.