Time of death in hospice

angieRN · Mar 18, 2005

I'm new to hospice but it seems that the person dies shortly after they are turned. The lady who died a few days ago took a few gasps of breath and then died right after we had turned her. The look in her eyes as she was dying was a look of utter amazement.I don't know what she was seeing at the time of death. What kind of things have you noticed at the time of your patient's death? Thanks :)

I have been in about 3 situations in the past year since I started as a hospice nurse that a patient has died only minutes after being turned, ususally for a bath. I don't think that this is an unusual thing.

Angie

Blackcat99 · Mar 19, 2005

I'll never forget the look on that lady's face when she died. I'm sure she must have seen something wonderful perhaps Jesus? or some kind of spiritual being. I sure do love hospice nursing. It's the best! I feel it is a priviledge to be able to care for dying patients.

happthearts · Mar 19, 2005

I'm new to hospice but it seems that the person dies shortly after they are turned. The lady who died a few days ago took a few gasps of breath and then died right after we had turned her. The look in her eyes as she was dying was a look of utter amazement.I don't know what she was seeing at the time of death. What kind of things have you noticed at the time of your patient's death? Thanks :)

This happens all the time the look the last gasp .Matter of fact I wait to turn them .If I know there close to death and there family is still comming Had a PT last month The lady hung on as her daughter was comming from another state every one got there .Then I explained when I turn her she may pass so everyone said there good bys and 20 minutes she was gone.Really sweet she had all her children arround her.

CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN · Mar 20, 2005

I just had first hand experience with hospice...my dad. He passed last fri. Alocholic cirrohsis, hepatic encephalopathy. After the morphine drip was started..he became sooo comfortable. Within 5 hrs his respirs were slowing. for about 16 hrs he was breathing at 2 per minute. he was waiting for my sister to come in from Texas. yep he needed turned...everyone was afraid....I knew what could happen when you turn them...old buzzer just kept holding on...1 hr after sis got in..she stepped out of the room for a few seconds...he passed.

I've always considered hospice nursing....now I know its were I want to be!

Blackcat99 · Mar 20, 2005

Thanks angieRN, happthearts, and michelle 126 for sharing your experiences. I think if a relative is on the way to see a patient I better wait until the relative arrives before I do any turning if possible. I hope I will have a peaceful death when I die. :nurse:

Teachchildren123 · Apr 12, 2005

I have been in about 3 situations in the past year since I started as a hospice nurse that a patient has died only minutes after being turned, ususally for a bath. I don't think that this is an unusual thing.
Angie

Hey there!

On my unit, somehow there is an unwritten law that we bath the pts at nite,if there are gorked and on the vent to help dayshift. I don't mind at all it is a great way to fully assess the pt and at times it help them relaxe :sleep: .

But we all know on my shift (graveyard, the shift we admit and... let go more patients), that we are careful with turning and positioning with dying.

If they are ready to go (once all the family came from 1500 miles away or when there loved on just left for coffee) we would turn them. Sometimes, you just want to clean them up fast (code brown in effect) so they still be there to received last rights!!!!

For some reason the left side is worse, more or faster whichever way you want to say.

Oh! I just remember, my first pt to die on me (I was a cna then), I did put the thermometer rectally (Stupid nurse that made me do this on a dying dude :angryfire , what was she trying to treat?) he was alive then and I tturned in back once done and he was expired.

It's like how you hate that your cardiac pt (the one on heparin, integrelin and on a nitro drip a 200 mcg and just got a total of 10 of morphine) tells you that he "really" have to go poopoo! :bluecry1: :chair: :bowingpur