patsysparksrnchpn

patsysparksrnchpn has 19 years experience and specializes in med surg, renal, hospice.

Latest Activity

1. Learning Curve for Being an On-Call Hospice Nurse

   patsysparksrnchpn replied to westieluv's topic in Hospice

   Maybe it is a bit late to post a reply, but I feel inclined to comment. I have been a nurse for 19 years, worked hospice for 6 years and been on call nurse for over 5 of those years, yet there are still occasions when I get a call and on the drive t...

2. Comfort / E-Kit Contents

   patsysparksrnchpn replied to AtlantaRN's topic in Hospice

   We will subtract according to allergies/sensitivities, but that is our standard ekit.

3. Comfort / E-Kit Contents

   patsysparksrnchpn replied to AtlantaRN's topic in Hospice

   Our EKit contains Roxanol, Haldol, Ativan, Tylenol suppositories, biscodyl suppositories and Atropine gtts.

4. This is my calling....

   patsysparksrnchpn replied to mylittlelulu's topic in Hospice

   Since I am in GA, I can tell you that our LPNs see patients, call the MDs, implement orders, do continuous (crisis) care, most things the RN does except case manage and admissions. The CC nurse at our facility is a godsend and loves doing CC, but al...

5. Palliative Care and Euthanasia

   patsysparksrnchpn replied to bracken's topic in Hospice

   Do any of you ever use anything but narcs? I am all for using morphine, methadone, whatever it takes to relieve my patient's pain, but I agree that preventative measures and long acting are optimal. I want my patient not to need breakthrough meds. ...

6. Wasting controlled substances

   patsysparksrnchpn replied to onewithhospiceheart's topic in Hospice

   I carry a soft drink plastic bottle in my car always, mix all the meds in the bottle, add PineSol or some such cleaning solution or coffee grounds and place in the trash. Except for fentanyl patches which we have to cut up and flush. Word to the wi...

7. On-Call position

   patsysparksrnchpn replied to AmandaCRN's topic in Hospice

   I work 7 on 7 off on call and have done so for a while. The week on can get long sometimes, but I love it. Although I have noticed the 7 days off seem to go by very quickly!! Also on my 7 on, I still have the daytime hours off and frequently get v...

8. This may sound dumb, but a hospice is the last place a patient goes...

   patsysparksrnchpn replied to Spikey9001's topic in Hospice

   Hospice is not necessarily a place, hospice is wherever the patient resides, be it home, LTC or ALF. For symptom management, a patient can go to a hospice house or have continuous care at their place of residence.

9. Have You Ever Refused to Go Into a Terrible Neighborhood?

   patsysparksrnchpn replied to westieluv's topic in Hospice

   I have gone out a couple of times and not felt safe so I would shorten the visit and report that it needed to be a daytime visit. Also have been advised by my boss that if it felt unsafe to advise patient of pcg to call 911. My boss would rather pa...

10. On Call Schedule.....that is workable

    patsysparksrnchpn replied to onewithhospiceheart's topic in Hospice

    I have worked as on call nurse for three hospices with a variety of schedules. Right now I work for VistaCare Hospice and my director let me choose the schedule I wanted so I opted for 7 on and 7 off. I work Monday through Sunday and I love having ...

11. Drug Diversion

    patsysparksrnchpn replied to eileenis1's topic in Hospice

    I like the fentanyl idea if the patient is a candidate for the patch. At our office, we have been trying to use the lock boxes that have to be set up by the nurse once or twice a week, sending out only a 3 day supply and count, count, count every vi...