Advice? First day in hospice.

[rachelgeorgina]

Hi All,

I'm currently a second year student and I've been working as an AIN (I think that's basically an American CNA) for a few months now in a nursing home. However, the position is very causal and not where my heart truly lies. A few months back I emailed a local facility, a children's hospice (and the only one in the state) regarding a volunteer position. The NUM emailed me back with a job offer. Of course I accepted and when I went for the interview I fell in love with the place.

It's called Bear Cottage. It's a two story beach house that takes eight kids at a time in private rooms with one sleeper couch (and has two 'units' that accomodate whole families plus child). It has views of the ocean and the coast line out the front windows and out the back a stunning view of an old castle/monestary type thing. It's beautiful. They have a nine year old black labrador that has free roam of the house and the most amazing facilities - a multi-sensory room, a massive play room, huge TV room, everything is coloured and bright... I could go on and on.

Anyway. My first shift is tomorrow. From what I gather me role is to help with the 'rush hour' tasks - like baths/showers, feeds (enteral and oral), beds etc, which I'm all fine with and what I don't know, the staff are keen on teaching me. However, the atmosphere at the cottage is very different to the hospital atmosphere that I'm used to. Families come in with all their children (including the ill one) for respite care as well as end of life care so there's a mixture of healthy and sick kids tearing around (where they can, anyway) and the parents and staff have a very different relationship than what you normally see between families and staff in hospitals. It's exceptionally family like - which is just beautiful. Only something that I'm not used, too, yet. & it's making me a bit nervous. (I really want to make a good impression!)

Has anyone got any tips/tidbits of advice from their first day or experience in hospice? What helps? What doesn't? Do you have any little tricks up your sleeve that might make a patient smile or... anything?

[Higgs]

Just be yourself - have manners and smile a lot.

So glad for you that you've found a job that you want to do in such a lovely facility. It should be awesome - sounds like a dream.

Good luck.

[rngolfer53]

I'll echo Higgs.

Be yourself first and foremost.

If you're a good fit with hospice, you'll soon know it and so will your patients and families.

I don't work with peds, but I find looking around at the things people have in their homes, or in your case choose to bring with them to the facility, give you some ideas on what can start conversations.

Of course, my first day doing home visits on my own, I was too nervous to remember much.

[leslie :-D]

and i agree w/higgs and golfer...

that if you really love the hospice environment, it will show and so, just be yourself.

be sincere, make eye contact and be tactile...

nuzzle/scratch child's head, touch shoulder, squeeze arm.

just making 'that' type connection.

it does sound like a dream job (if you can handle peds, which i cannot).

let us know how it goes.

leslie

[rachelgeorgina]

Thank you so much everyone for your advice and input.

My first day was absolutely amazing. There were only two kids in for respite so it was a good opportunity to get into the swing of things. We had a 15 year old boy with muscular dystrophy and a three year old girl (about the size of a chubby ten-month-old) with an undiagnosed neurological cross gastrointestinal terminal cluster of symptoms. Our older boy didn't want a shower, so we brought the bath table up to his room and transfered him, wheeled him back to the bathroom and let him have a bath instead! He was exceptionally happier after that! & I spent the end of my shift nursing the bub in my lap while the music therapist played Disney songs on the piano and we sang to her while she had occasional, minor seizures in my lap.

This is where I want to be, I'm sure of it.

Thanks again!