Has being a nurse changed your outlook on...

Nurses General Nursing

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...how you would like your end of life care to be handled? After today I know I'd want care to be withdrawn if I ever got to a point that my pts were at today (terminal illness/stroke/vent/unresponsive). It just seems tortuous to put someone through all of that.

Specializes in ER, CEN.

Absolutely. I have everything in writing, in duplicate, in my papers and in my chart at my doctor's office. I also have a small copy of my advance directive laminated and in my billfold. I also have an understanding with my physician regarding my care should I contract an illness from which recovery would be a miracle. My husband and son (if my husband predeceases me) are my medical POAs. I have heard the joke about having DNR tattooed across the chest for almost as long as I have been in nursing and while I don't think it's quite necessary to go that far, I do think the keeping a copy of your AD and POA info on you at all times is just as important as a med/allergy list.

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Yes! I have a different outlook on life in general.

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Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.
I live in Maryland so you go to Univ of Md.

We'll be taken by a company called Science Care in Phoenix. They send the body where it's most "needed". When they are done, you're cremated & family can get the ashes back if they want. If not, the ashes are interred in a crematorium in Denver.

About a year after my dad's body was donated, we received a card from Science Care telling us that a tree had been planted in his honor in northern California. They do this for every body that's donated.

They also called both me & my sister several times after dad died to see how we were doing.

There was absolutely nothing for us to pay for all their services when my dad died.

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Specializes in Inpatient Oncology/Public Health.

Being an Onc nurse made me get everything in order and quickly. I saw people my own age(30s) and younger quickly blindsided by cancer. I saw families torn apart not knowing how things should be handled. And yes, seeing people under medicated for pain and tormented by procedures when they should be on a nice drip on comfort care has influenced me.

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
I want my pain managed! Not a little bit, not PRN...I want drugs pushed around the clock. If I can handle the drugs, I want them. Whether I have a year of my life left or a week, I do not want to be suffering with pain.

I also don't want to be lectured about the "scary" side effects of opiates. Do not recommend meditation, the use of heat/cold, stretching, praying, eating, distraction or whatever alternative pain relieving ideas are out there. If I'm about to kick the bucket, I want drugs and the drugs which work. I'm pretty sure at that point in my life I won't give a rat's rump about tolerance, dependence or *gasp* addiction. I only want to be comfortable. If I am pain free and as high as a kite, so what?

I have a huge fear of being in pain because I have seen so many patients who have been under medicated.

It's so wrong.

An enduring memory from nursing school was a patient with cancer of the bones, her entire right hip had been amputated; she constantly screamed "Somebody please kill me!" and the nurses not only were excessively strict about making sure she didn't get her pain shot 'until it was time'. They would close the door to her room so she could not be heard as distinctly. Basically she was ignored. The pain medication wasn't sufficient, AND they made us students turn her onto her right side 'so she wouldn't get decubiti on her left side or coccyx. I don't remember how long it took her to die, but my rotation on that hall was 6 weeks.

My God! It was so cruel and horrifying. Nowadays Hospice would be there with a 'cocktail' of meds to ease her pain.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I want to get DNR tattooed across my chest, " no feeding tubes" across my stomach and " no enemas" across my butt!

i also want to put a sign over my TV that will say " no Kelly Ripca" ( or whatever her name is).

My biggest fear is to trapped in my own body, with someone else deciding when I get turned, when I get up and what TV show is put on my TV!

​There are things worse than death, and Kelly Ripa is one of them. Although I must grudgingly give her props for supporting ovarian cancer.

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

No. I always knew what I wanted as I witnessed the slow death of my grandpa. Nursing only solidified my wishes.

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Specializes in ICU.

He** yes. Especially when I started working in ICU; it is a discussion my coworkers and I have all the time. The things we do are torturous- and often do not even benefit the patient.

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Specializes in Urology, ENT.

I've always felt that way, and yeah, as someone before has said, my biggest fear is to be aware of what's going on but not be able to communicate. If I was told I had stage IV cancer, and it was incurable (after the second opinion), I'd say, "Okay, so give me my pain medication so I don't hurt. If it's that bad, I want to enjoy the rest of my time here."

My parents had too many stories from work about families who couldn't let go, and their loved ones already had one foot out of the door. My husband and I have discussed this -- we just have to write it down.

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Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.
I've always felt that way, and yeah, as someone before has said, my biggest fear is to be aware of what's going on but not be able to communicate. If I was told I had stage IV cancer, and it was incurable (after the second opinion), I'd say, "Okay, so give me my pain medication so I don't hurt. If it's that bad, I want to enjoy the rest of my time here."

My parents had too many stories from work about families who couldn't let go, and their loved ones already had one foot out of the door. My husband and I have discussed this -- we just have to write it down.

Get it written down soon. Any day could be the day you need things in writing.

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An enduring memory from nursing school was a patient with cancer of the bones, her entire right hip had been amputated; she constantly screamed "Somebody please kill me!" and the nurses not only were excessively strict about making sure she didn't get her pain shot 'until it was time'. They would close the door to her room so she could not be heard as distinctly. Basically she was ignored. The pain medication wasn't sufficient, AND they made us students turn her onto her right side 'so she wouldn't get decubiti on her left side or coccyx. I don't remember how long it took her to die, but my rotation on that hall was 6 weeks.

My God! It was so cruel and horrifying. Nowadays Hospice would be there with a 'cocktail' of meds to ease her pain.

Unless your family really loved you. With advances in medicine if your family really loves you, they can make you suffer for much longer than in the past.

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We'll be taken by a company called Science Care in Phoenix. They send the body where it's most "needed". When they are done, you're cremated & family can get the ashes back if they want. If not, the ashes are interred in a crematorium in Denver.

About a year after my dad's body was donated, we received a card from Science Care telling us that a tree had been planted in his honor in northern California. They do this for every body that's donated.

They also called both me & my sister several times after dad died to see how we were doing.

There was absolutely nothing for us to pay for all their services when my dad died.

Wow that's beautiful.

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