do any home hospices provide linens 4 hospital beds

Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN · May 29, 2010

We don't and I've never heard of a home hospice that does. Some familis ask for sheets, gowns, personal items, etc. Like you said, we always tell the family what items are needed in the home.

annacnatorn · May 30, 2010

oHHHHHHHH THIS DRIVES ME SO CRAZY! Everyone is wanting everything for nothing.

I tell the families, that although we provide DME, we provide a set number of diapers and peri wash, if they exceed that limit, they have to purchase it themselves. I tell them where to buy the sheets for a cheep price (they'd have to buy sheets for their own bed right?, they'd have to launder them themselves right?) I tell the families that although we provide some things, we do not provide everything they need, if a hospice is providing sheets, they maybe they got a donation of such items..lucky them.

I've also had families tell me that I/we had to provide the patient with special body wash, No we don't. we have what we have and thats it. If you want special then you have to buy it yourself.

This wanting everything for nothing has got to stop, it makes my blood pressure boil!

I also hate it when the Marketers go out and promise the world to get a patient, then WE, the Nurses have to make good on it...almost like jumping through fire rings at times. I told a Marketer that if she ever ever promised something to a family then she better make sure she gets it for them on Her time, her dime, I was so mad at her one time, she promised 4 washable chucks to be provided, we only provide the disposable ones, the family was yelling at me cuz they did not receive it as promised by the marketer, I called a meeting with the DON and marketer, explained my situation, the Marketer had to go out and buy what she promised the family, that was an example for the rest of the marketers to not promise and not deliver. They make our job so difficult at times....

sorry for the vent. I'm just a little frustrated when it comes to this.

caliotter3 · May 30, 2010

My hospice patient's family had no wipes and wanted me to provide them so I bought them out of my own pocket, for my use, not because I am charitable. The patient was having diarrhea and I certainly don't know how I was supposed to clean him otherwise. Some people ask for and will gladly accept, anything they can get for free. I would be embarrassed myself, but I guess my attitude would be different if I were in their shoes.

Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN · May 30, 2010

Is it just me, or do you find that the families who ask for the most things are the ones that have money? At least I guess they do since they have fine houses and round the clock sitters. My patients who don't have much of anything seem to be very happy with ANYTHING that is provided for them. Just saying....

annacnatorn · May 30, 2010

Is it just me, or do you find that the families who ask for the most things are the ones that have money? At least I guess they do since they have fine houses and round the clock sitters. My patients who don't have much of anything seem to be very happy with ANYTHING that is provided for them. Just saying....

Yep, Yep, Yep.

When it comes to the wipes things, I direct them to Baby Wipes, bulk section or home made baby wipes:

1 roll of paper towels, taken apart and folded either quartered or halved

1/2 tsp Baby soap ( I suggest Johnson n Johnson or Aveno Baby wash)

mixed with 1/2 gallon water

place folded towels in plastic container with a lid (zip loc or rubber maid)

cover with water/soap solution. Cover with lid. Ready to use at will. :coollook:

economical. :yeah: :twocents:

You can even pour peri wash on the paper towels and make wipes out of that.

I have discovered that if you start to buy something for the family, they always expect it...even at 3 am when they run out of "Gold Bond" powder, they will call you for that. :uhoh3:

I don't mean to sound cheap or strict:eek:, I do buy stuff for my families:up:, but I tell them this is a one time purchase:D, I purchased out of my own pocket:twocents::redbeathe, when they run out, they have to purchase on their own, it is just to show them what to get.

tewdles, RN · May 31, 2010

My hospice patient's family had no wipes and wanted me to provide them so I bought them out of my own pocket, for my use, not because I am charitable. The patient was having diarrhea and I certainly don't know how I was supposed to clean him otherwise. Some people ask for and will gladly accept, anything they can get for free. I would be embarrassed myself, but I guess my attitude would be different if I were in their shoes.

Does this mean that your hospice does not provide wipes for the caregivers to use in caring for the patient?

I have not worked for a hospice which provides linens...I have worked for 4 different companies.

caliotter3 · May 31, 2010

Does this mean that your hospice does not provide wipes for the caregivers to use in caring for the patient?
I have not worked for a hospice which provides linens...I have worked for 4 different companies.

Yes. The patient was with a hospice agency and a regular home health agency and neither provided the wipes.

caliotter3 · May 31, 2010

Yep, Yep, Yep.
When it comes to the wipes things, I direct them to Baby Wipes, bulk section or home made baby wipes:
1 roll of paper towels, taken apart and folded either quartered or halved
1/2 tsp Baby soap ( I suggest Johnson n Johnson or Aveno Baby wash)
mixed with 1/2 gallon water
place folded towels in plastic container with a lid (zip loc or rubber maid)
cover with water/soap solution. Cover with lid. Ready to use at will.
economical.:twocents:
You can even pour peri wash on the paper towels and make wipes out of that.
I have discovered that if you start to buy something for the family, they always expect it...even at 3 am when they run out of "Gold Bond" powder, they will call you for that.
I don't mean to sound cheap or strict:eek:, I do buy stuff for my families:up:, but I tell them this is a one time purchase:D, I purchased out of my own pocket:twocents::redbeathe, when they run out, they have to purchase on their own, it is just to show them what to get.

Good idea, but most families would be too picky to go with this and they certainly wouldn't buy the paper towels any more than they would buy the wipes.

annacnatorn · May 31, 2010

Good idea, but most families would be too picky to go with this and they certainly wouldn't buy the paper towels any more than they would buy the wipes.

I hear you loud and clear!

"I want what I want and that all I want, so when do I get it...and if you don't give it to us, I'll change Hospice providers!"..........urrrrrrrrrrgh......

caliotter3 · May 31, 2010

I hear you loud and clear!
"I want what I want and that all I want, so when do I get it...and if you don't give it to us, I'll change Hospice providers!"..........urrrrrrrrrrgh......

Yes here. As a matter of fact one of the reasons I bought the wipes was because this family also didn't buy paper towels and toilet paper was insufficient for the job. I expect if I brought the roll of tp into the bedroom, they might have said something about that and I wasn't about to use their white wash cloths if I could help it.

AtlantaRN, RN · May 31, 2010

I agree with all the posters, and it's good to know it doesn't just make MY blood boil. It does seem the patients with the greatest means are most expectant for everything to be provided. With patients that are of average means, they are the most thankful for anything brought to the home.

I had a facility administrator DEMAND that she be brought a CASE of wipes every week and 3 cases of chuks and diapers every month to be placed in their "common supply closet..." or she would go with another hospice.......well, she went with that other hospice who had to do the same or she would bounce to the next.

Crazy.

And the marketing people.......my husband says "they write checks that your butt can't cash......"