Any recommendations for new hospice RN?

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Hi all,

I'm starting orientation tomorrow on my new position as a case manager. Do you veterans have any advice for a newbie - things you wish you'd known, learned more about from the beginning, mistakes you wish you hadn't made, things you had to learn the hard way, etc?

I've joined HPNA, and after payday I'll be ordering the HPNA generalist nursing text and study guide to use as a primer on the guts of hospice nursing. (No, I won't sit for the exam until I have the recommended 1-2 years experience.) I have also read Final Gifts. Any other suggestions for must-reads? Reference texts? Other educational materials, for families or myself? Suggestions for preventing burnout?

I am so excited, but nervous too. Thanks in advance!

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Wow, it sounds like you are very well prepared! I think that your interest and obvious excitement for the work will get you through - and will get you far, quickly. Good luck in your new job. I hope it is everything you wish for.

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Thanks, doodlemom.

I've been reading a lot of old posts over the past few months and that has ben really helpful.

Any other advice?

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Hi,

Congratulations and Good luck!

You'll be getting some literature in your orientation, so hold off on anything until after that. They should supply you with a MUGS book from Hospice Pharmacia. It's a great tool book and I think you'll find it very useful for pain and symptom management. Final Gifts was a great book, wasn't it? I also ordered a book through Amazon called Gerontologic Palliative Care Nursing (Mosby) written by Marianne LaPorte Matzo and Deborah Witt Sherman. You can also go to the HPNA website (http://www.HPNA.org), they have a nice symptom management algorhythm handbook (I can't remember the name of it, sorry) that's very helpful. Hope this helps, and again, best wishes!

mc3

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Hi,

Congratulations and Good luck!

You'll be getting some literature in your orientation, so hold off on anything until after that. They should supply you with a MUGS book from Hospice Pharmacia. It's a great tool book and I think you'll find it very useful for pain and symptom management. Final Gifts was a great book, wasn't it? I also ordered a book through Amazon called Gerontologic Palliative Care Nursing (Mosby) written by Marianne LaPorte Matzo and Deborah Witt Sherman. You can also go to the HPNA website (www.HPNA.org), they have a nice symptom management algorhythm handbook (I can't remember the name of it, sorry) that's very helpful. Hope this helps, and again, best wishes!

mc3

It's called Symptom Management Algorithms - A Handbook For Palliative Care

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Hi I'm interviewing for a Hospice Case Manager position today at 1pm. Where can I find a salary range comparison. I have been a nurse for 28 years, but I've never worked for hospice. Thanks for any information that you can help me with.

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Specializes in Hospice.

I recommend "Pain: Clinical Manual" by Margo McCaffery. It's available through Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/081515609X/qid=1150952081/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-7019929-8705644?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

A large aspect of Hospice nursing that I had the hardest time grasping and treating was the different kinds of pain: somatic, visceral, or neuropathic. This book does a great job describing them and explaining the rationales for treatment.

God bless you in your new career. I'm sure you'll find that it's the most rewarding field of nursing.

(My pastor once told us, "You know when you're working within your gifting when people look at you and say, 'HOW can you DO that?'. And because it comes so easily to you, you think, 'Can't EVERYONE?')

Linda

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