Horrible Death - What could I have done better?

and we will keep having them! But the day I do not care abut those things any more I think will be hen it is time to quit my "job" with hospice; Just take it is a lesson learned and don't think you have failed!

I was a hospice nurse for ten years. You truly did all you could have done. I cannot think of one thing I would have done that you didn't try. You did your best.

As several others have replied, you did all you could do. There will be many hundreds of families that you will deal with that will make you glad you chose Hospice. Hospice is a special kind of nursing. Keep your chin up and you will be fine.

The family failed the pt, not you. How aweful for him, and for you to have experienced that situation. Obviously unable to cope with the situation and care for him properly. It would have been better for him to have been placed. but to refuse SW intervention what else could have been done? I'm suprised they didn't send him to the hospital on his way out.. bad scene, but you can't blame yourself. Did they at least manage his pain properly?

I replied earlier, but just wanted to affirm what all the others have said. You did all you could do to insure a "good death". I don't know how many years you've practiced as a Hospice nurse. What I can tell you is that it will always be my passion. You know if you've been "called" to it. It gave back as much or more than I gave. It taught me about life. Had my 54yo sister not died suddenly I'd still be doing it. I posted an article --see "Articles" --called "AN HONOR"--please read one of my first beautiful experiences that kept me going for 10 years in hospice.

"There are no mistakes, no coincidences. All events are blessings given to us to learn from"
--Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

I replied earlier, but just wanted to affirm what all the others have said. You did all you could do to insure a "good death". I don't know how many years you've practiced as a Hospice nurse. What I can tell you is that it will always be my passion. You know if you've been "called" to it. It gave back as much or more than I gave. It taught me about life. Had my 54yo sister not died suddenly I'd still be doing it. I posted an article --see "Articles" --called "AN HONOR"--please read one of my first beautiful experiences that kept me going for 10 years in hospice.