Do you hospice nurses attend funerals of patients?

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Hi everyone. I just have a question for you all. Do you ever get invited by family members to attend the funeral of a patient you have been caring for? My mother is currently in hospice and the 2 nurses who attend to her are soooo sweet. My father asked me if it is appropriate to advise her nurses about her services once she passes. I have no idea what the protocal is on this situation so I figured I would ask you all. Thanks.

Specializes in Med Surg, Hospice, Home Health.

social workers, chaplains, and alot of the home health aides go from my company-i don't attend.

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Specializes in future OB/L&D nurse(I hope) or hospice.
Our agency encourages the nurses (and other disciplines) to attend the visitations. One of the things that is troubling to families is the fact that their loved one dies and at the same time they lose all contact with the team that they bonded with. Visitation attendance helps both the family and the staff to experience "closure" of that relationship with less time requirement and social pressure for the hospice professionals.

That is so true. These nurses have been attending to my mother for four months now and my family has grown very fond of them, so I can totally see how the caregivers attending the service could provide closure. Thanks so much for the insight:heartbeat

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Specializes in Hospice.

I have been in Hospice for 5 years. I always try to attend the visitation. Just as your mothers nurses have become close to your mother, your mother and father have become a part of them. For me, I attend for closure, seeing my patients all the way through the end of their lives, it is a sign of dignity and respect. Every hospice patient I have ever had is a part of me and who I am today.

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Specializes in future OB/L&D nurse(I hope) or hospice.

Hi you all, just a quick update. My mother passed away Friday afternoon (4/29) after her long battle with cancer. The hospice nurses whom cared for her were incredible. And yes, my father has given them all the info for her service should they want to attend. Thank you all so much for your advive. She passed very peacefully and even with aroma therapy in her own home in bed.

I LOVE YOU MAMMA. I AM SO HAPPY YOU ARE WHOLE AND OUT OF PAIN. I WILL MEET YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE WHEN IT IS MY TIME. I LOVE YOU AND WILL MISS.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.

Sending you **big hugs** butterfly!

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Hugs butterfly!

It is a requirement at my office that we attend all of our patients funerals and we are able to reschedule to do this. At the prior hospice company I worked for it wasn't possible for me to attend funerals as they did not rearrange the schedule to permit this.

I used to go to visitation when that happened but attended a funeral of one of my patients this past week. I was very happy I was able to and the family was pleased to see me there.

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I never attend funerals. It's just my own rule. I am there to help patients pass away in comfort and dignity.

Funerals and memorials are there to celebrate a loved one's life. It's for family, friends..

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I found this thread as I searched on whether it was appropriate to invite my friend's hospice nurse to the memorial service and reception afterwards. In this case my friend's hospice care was in his apartment, and the hospice nurse lived in with him. Not only did he become close to the patient, all of the patient's friends met the nurse. They will undoubtedly want to thank the nurse for the care he gave.

There is no family to speak of. But the patient had lots and lots of friends.

I do not know any of the others that cared for the patient, but the hospice nurse was clearly the person that everybody met.

I liked seeing that some agencies encourage attendance. And even pay. In this case the hospice nurse became licensed in NY State while caring for my friend, and after this weekend he starts a job in a hospital. He will be busy. He has already been invited.

I will use this thread as evidence that he really should get his employer to schedule him so he can attend. It is two months away, so plenty of time to work things out.

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I often attend the viewing especially if I didn't attend the death. The families of my patients always have seemed glad to see the hospice team. I've actually never gone to a funeral of a patient, just the viewing.

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The memorial service took place this evening. I did pass on the invitation to his private nurse. And, lo and behold, at the memorial service the nurse gave an eulogy! One of three. Obviously the estate invited him. He lived in with the deceased for about 100 days. The deceased never had a live-in girlfriend. So those 100 days were longer than anyone else since the deceased's college days. So it made sense.

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I absolutely attend funerals of some of my patients. Especially if the family requests I attend.

I feel very blessed when families invite me. I feel like I must have done my job well if the family feels they want to include me.

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Specializes in Hospice and palliative care.

I rarely attend memorials or funerals of my patients. I need that separation/work-life balance. When I have attended, I try to sit or stand in the back and learn more about the patient's life--these events certainly allow for that. I feel this is the family's time and I was there for just a small part of the patient's life. Interestingly, it always happens that when a family member sees me, they either grab me by the arm and make me sit in front and/or they introduce me to almost everyone in attendance...so much for being low key. It shows what an effect a hospice nurse can have.

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