Hey RNkitty, Sounds like you're ready for a break.... even though we've been through it all before, it's probably the first time for the family you happen to be seeing that day.
Need to take issue with your rule of thumb about sx not being "normal" if they're not seen in healthy people. The dying don't look like healthy people. Noisy secretions are normal at end of life. We reposition the patient, treat them with atropine et...
Interesting. I was prescribed it for insomnia/hot flashes and it helped. It's hard to taper and come off of, but maybe that's less of a concern for our hospice/palliative pts.
sounds like you are assessing and doing all the right things for your patient, and also that she is actively dying. Tell the family the disease is taking their loved one, and the goal now is to keep her comfortable as this natural process progresses....
I agree with previous posters. It sounds like an ominous turn. Remember the goal of wound care is comfort at this point - keeping her clean and dry, and medicating for comfort. Mouth care for comfort/ relief of dry mouth. Glad you have hospice comin...
ps- one thing I wish was different is there's limited opportunity to commiserate with other students. There is a part of the discussion board where you can post anonymously - allegedly. Nobody used it. I wanted to discuss content and instructors but ...
I started this semester with the Nursing Informatics course. It was a lot of work, but do-able. I was disappointed in that the course was more about following APA style than Nursing Informatics. The instructor was nitpicky and more concerned with for...
You could contact NHPCO or HPNA and see what they say. Who employs you and this director RN? She must have a supervisor. Maybe you should seek out that person if you can't approach her directly with your concerns?
jerseyRN replied to mrsraisinkain's topic in Hospice
I love my little Maglite super-bright flashlight (under $10). Bandage scissors. And I have never have enough pens! Be sure to have some chocolate in there.
jerseyRN replied to GhostsWerePeopleToo's topic in Hospice
We wear street clothes, business casual. Would rather be able to wear scrubs ... hate getting dressed every morning, especially when it's >100 degrees as it is this week. We also are prohibited from wearing open-toed shoes or going without socks o...
OK, let's get this straight - over 50 is not "older". Over 70 is "older'. Don't take my denial away from me! We all know it can be an effective coping mechanism....
jerseyRN replied to Hospice Nurse LPN's topic in Hospice
Well, hmm. What to do? I think I would be sure to document very carefully... especially about the contradictions in her self-rating of pain and her behavior, such as reporting her pain is better, she's sleeping more, she laughs with caregivers, etc. ...
jerseyRN replied to Hospice Nurse LPN's topic in Hospice
Yes, I wondered about this case too. Not to say limiting her meds is the wrong action, because I didn't see the patient and don't want to backseat-drive my colleague's instincts and decisions. But I wonder: What about increasing the MS Contin to 90 m...
jerseyRN replied to indianahope's topic in Hospice
We're required to wear street clothes ("business casual" is what I do). I'd prefer to wear scrubs because it's easier and tax deductible, but it's not the policy of my agency. I wouldn't choose a lab coat... they always strike me like an affectation ...