My boss asks me to do an admit. The patient was coming home from the hospital per ambulance and the family requested we be there. Ok. Got the address, waited, no patient, waited some more no patient, waited, ok it's been 45 minutes now. I called my boss and she calls the CM. Calls back, the patient is staying with daughter on the "other" side of town. We forgot to tell you.
Get to the daughter's home. I had some of the admit filled out by the paperwork faxed to me. i.e. meds, doctor, allergies, orders, labs etc.......They were all wrong!! Called the CM. Oh sorry she says. I ask where are the infusion supplies and meds, I was told they would be here ahead of the patient? Call the infusion company, oh we weren't told, be there in 2 hours!
Start admission paperwork all over again. Infusion company shows up. The company supplying the ostomy supplies never showed either and patient has two colostomy's which are both leaking at the seal. Call them. Um we were told you were bringing the supplies. Why were you even contacted then, huh? I understand it was made clear to you that HH didn't supplies ostomy items.
Going over contract with family. 8 visits total. The family says CM told them we were coming every day for 4 hours until patient expires. Um no honey that's not the truth. Did they not mention hospice to you?
Teaching the family members about the medications, ask to see them, oh family member gone to pick them up. Family member returns, no meds. The pharmacy doesn't have any of them in stock! Patient begiinning to experience alot of pain. No pain med. IDDM - No insulin, no sliding scale to go by anyway! Not in the orders. Call the doctor, sorry forgot.
Set up IV, wrong tubing, waiting again for supplies. This time they went to the wrong address. OMG. Please somebody do something right. 5 hours later I wrapped up the admit. My boss said, I am so.......sorry and I will pay you accordingly.
I felt sorry for the family, they only want to care for their dying mother at home. With that said, my worst day so far in home health was still much better than my absolutely best day in med/surg. I'm still loving HH. I hope that never changes!
You wanna hear the real kicker? That same evening my director got a call that the family had decided they would switch to hospice! I think Mom is better off with hospice.
I had told this daughter that I did not think that her Mom had long to live. She said the doctors had told her they just didn't know, could be months.
Having seen my share of Stage IV cancer patients I could see that we were talking days and I wanted her to be prepared because she was thinking weeks or even months.
She called me today. As it turned out her Mom died the next day. She thanked me for letting her know that her Mom was indeed dying because she was able to get the whole family into town to be with Mom when she passed.
She said the reason she had switched to hospice after I had just done that admission is that after I had left she noticed her Mom's breathing becoming very difficult and she got scared and was afraid to be alone with Mom when she passed so she called hospice for help. They sent over a minister and other volunteers.
I'm glad it turned out the way it did. The poor woman was pitiful and blessfully passed.
Amazing what you went though .I would totally been scared, if that many mistakes were made. You are totally awesome nurse.
When I start dealing with the case mangers at the hospitals ask them a billion questions. I have to explain to them non medicals HH don't deal with drug set ups or do wound care etc.
So far the HH and hospices have been very thorough in getting things set up for us .The small things we can do as a non medical like suggest home health's to call and then they deal with medical issues with the patient .
We actually get referrals for our non-medical home health from HH and hospices all the time, the opposite way .As we do 1-24 hr care and respite when the family is worn to a frazzle with caring for the love one. We also do aide and attendance care for Veterans and there spouses LTC insurance but no Medicare.
When the patients families say they want Medicare, we call the home health if they qualify for home health, we just refer them. If the patients are going down hill medically we call the MD and the doc usually ask us to arrainge a hospice company for them now. The MD's don't seem to want to be bothered.
OK, I've looked at this for days now, and can't believe no one has taken the bait. So, I will....... I cannot conceive of any reason on God's Green Earth that a person or entity would name their hospice "Alive Hospice". Yes, a tad tacky, to my way of thinking! But, maybe there's a perspective that I'm not seeing -- just had a quick "gut reaction" and can't get past it!
OK, I've looked at this for days now, and can't believe no one has taken the bait. So, I will....... I cannot conceive of any reason on God's Green Earth that a person or entity would name their hospice "Alive Hospice". Yes, a tad tacky, to my way of thinking! But, maybe there's a perspective that I'm not seeing -- just had a quick "gut reaction" and can't get past it!
I thought Alive Hospice was nationwide? I never thought about it but yes it is kind of a strange name, surely an oxymoron!
DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN
3,932 Posts
I had told this daughter that I did not think that her Mom had long to live. She said the doctors had told her they just didn't know, could be months.
Having seen my share of Stage IV cancer patients I could see that we were talking days and I wanted her to be prepared because she was thinking weeks or even months.
She called me today. As it turned out her Mom died the next day. She thanked me for letting her know that her Mom was indeed dying because she was able to get the whole family into town to be with Mom when she passed.
She said the reason she had switched to hospice after I had just done that admission is that after I had left she noticed her Mom's breathing becoming very difficult and she got scared and was afraid to be alone with Mom when she passed so she called hospice for help. They sent over a minister and other volunteers.
I'm glad it turned out the way it did. The poor woman was pitiful and blessfully passed.