Care at the Time of Death

123hospicenurse · Oct 22, 2007

You are absolutely correct. As I reread my response, I realized I did not answer clearly. I was addressing the ethical question of medicating a patient for hallucinations not the treatment in general. I knew what I was thinking in my mind but answered quickly not totally. Thank-you for the clarification

tyler3222 · Oct 31, 2007

Hello all

Excellent posts and insightfull. I am a newbe nurse comming up on 1 years, and i must say I am disgusted and dialousined ( spelling?) with nursing. I work nights on a med-surge uint- 6 patients. It is run run run...no time for talking to Pt's or spending time with them. etc etc. If I had known the reality of nursing.....I would not have done this. ( and 3 of my classmate's have said the same thing to me).

However I am trying to get into Hospice as a last dash chance to do some "real nursing" and actually spend time with Pts. or at least more time. I liked and see the truth in the comment about there are 3 kinds of nurses:

1. those that got out of nursing

2. those that want out.

3 and new nurses.

I am surrouned by #2 where I work , just about everyone I talk to falls into that boat. Its a shame,,, health care in this country is like re-arranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic!!!

req_read · Dec 24, 2007

brian3222…

I thought I would wait to see how others might respond to your post. It’s been nearly 2 months now, so I guess that is a long enough wait.

This thread was initiated by an article written by a nurse with a Ph.D.; presumably, a leader in our field. So where, in your estimation (as a new nurse) are we being led to?

Oh… and one other thing I’ve been pondering.

We all know there is a nursing shortage… actually there is no nursing shortage at all, just a shortage of nurses willing to work (as nurses amyway.) But anyway, I keep seeing this TV ad sponsored by Johnson & Johnson with a corny background song that goes, “You’re a nurse…etc.” What I don’t get is why Johnson & Johnson is spending money trying to get people into nursing. Do they own hospitals & nursing homes? I thought they were in the bandaid & baby oil business.

It seems to me that large companies would have better luck acquiring and retaining nurses if they treated them well… as opposed to having second-rate musicians sing patronizing songs on TV.

Michael

Allow Mystery · Dec 25, 2007

Hello Michael, Merry Christmas!

I've seen the Johnson & Johnson ad, although they do not

run it much in my area. I'm not sure of their agenda, although

I'd reckon they have one, most of these big companies do; but,

would agree, money may be better spent.

Best wishes!

req_read · Dec 27, 2007

Allow_Mystery...

A funny thought just struck me. Not so much funny Ha-Ha... more funny as in- ironic and sad.

I guess Johnson & Johnson is still in the bandaid business. We are hemorrhaging nurses and they have come up with a bandaid for the malady; i.e. a patronizing jingle.

I asked brian3222 (a couple of posts back) where he thinks (as a nursing student) our nursing leaders seem to be leading us. He sounded rather disenchanted. Maybe by now he has changed his major and left nursing before even getting into it? In which case I would ask any nursing students who may have wandered in to comment.

Do articles such as the one which initiated this thread inspire you? If you have an interest in hospice nursing, where did that come from? Did it come from “leaders in our field?” Working nurses? A personal experience? A patronizing jingle? Other?

Michael

RNnamaste · May 14, 2009

Bravissima!

I have been a hospice nurse for many decades-studied with Kubler-Ross. Now I study with Frank Ostaseki of the Metta Instititute. Finally, FINALLY I can be honest with my patients (oops, clients) and meet them where they are in their experience. I can get pretty close through listening and knowing that they are me and I am them. I used to be all bravado and Catholic but felt as though I was convincing myself when I was asked the questions from those who are close to death. Now, I sit, wait, breathe. I summon the buddhas of compassion. I meet the clients-if they are suicidal, I research their suicide technique with them. If they are scared ,we speak of the the fear. We face it head on.

I am also a Reiki Master teacher and practitioner and also do the Reconnection. The results are beyond my imagination. I am grateful, humbled, blessed. I walk with gratititude and humor.

I am proud of your work, your intense interest in the so-called mystery.Keep going, keep going and be still.