looking for some input frm Hospice nurses

Katillac, RN · Feb 16, 2005

First of all I am a proponent of Hospice and a firm believer in all that you do
I believe you are all angels
I am a nurse in an Internal medcine office and we often refer to hospice for palliative end of life care
My current dilemna.. we have a 94 Y/O female .. FX hip in 09/04.. since her hip FX she is unable to walk, cannot stand up without support on both sides and is for the most part bed bound.
She has DX of Parkinsons and is blind. She currently can not carrry out ADL due to general debility
her parkinsons has been well controlled
The physician I work with states that she will most likely not live another six months
Tha family has been involved with Hospice a few years ago with an Aunt who had cancer
the family would like hospice care
Will the above listed DX be adequate for hospice eval?
Please let me know ASAP
thank you!!
Darla

If her primary physician certifies that in his belief one or more of her diagnoses is such that if the disease or condition runs its expected course she will not live longer than six months, and the hospice medical director concurs, she is eligible for hospice services. However, it can (and with us sometimes does) happen with supportive care that she improves to the point where debility no longer threatens her life, therefore making her ineligible for continued hospice services. But she would certainly appear to be eligible for services at present based on her debility diagnosis.

Thanks for the good words. :rolleyes:

leslie :-D · Feb 17, 2005

i'm w/katillac-

it's the doctor's assessment that she has 6 mos or less to live, then it will be up to the medical director of hospice to see if she is indeed a candidate.

if she receives services and as time goes on, the situation is reassessed and they don't find her eligible, then they will discharge her.

leslie

darla80 · Feb 17, 2005

Thank you, I started the process yesterday and hospice is going to evaluate her today.

We had a pt once who rallied and was discharged from hospice and lived another year.

People are absolutley amazing.. the nurses and the ones we take care of

Have Blessed day!!

Darla

darla80 · Feb 17, 2005

Thank you, I started the process yesterday and hospice is going to evaluate her today.

We had a pt once who rallied and was discharged from hospice and lived another year.

People are absolutley amazing.. the nurses and the ones we take care of

Have a Blessed day!!

Darla

Blackcat99 · Feb 17, 2005

I use to work at an assisted living facility. We had a hospice nurse say that the resident would probably die in a few days. However, he seemed to respond and perk-up with all the love and attention he got from the hospice nurses. He ended up living 2 more months.

leslie :-D · Feb 17, 2005

I use to work at an assisted living facility. We had a hospice nurse say that the resident would probably die in a few days. However, he seemed to respond and perk-up with all the love and attention he got from the hospice nurses. He ended up living 2 more months.

yes, i've had sev'l of those types...they literally are on their death bed and by golly, they slowly become more alert and eating and then they die when you least expect it.....sudden and quick, as it should be. :)

aimeee, BSN, RN · Feb 19, 2005

Patients like this one will often improve during their first benefit period due to extra care and attention they receive. Many patients have their symptoms controlled to the point of comfort for the first time in years and this helps their appetite, their sleep, and their general well being until the disease process advances.

So, Darla, was she admitted to hospice care?

pamula64 · Mar 14, 2005

[Have her evaluated-sound like she is.

\

QUOTE=darla80]First of all I am a proponent of Hospice and a firm believer in all that you do

I believe you are all angels

I am a nurse in an Internal medcine office and we often refer to hospice for palliative end of life care

My current dilemna.. we have a 94 Y/O female .. FX hip in 09/04.. since her hip FX she is unable to walk, cannot stand up without support on both sides and is for the most part bed bound.

She has DX of Parkinsons and is blind. She currently can not carrry out ADL due to general debility

her parkinsons has been well controlled

The physician I work with states that she will most likely not live another six months

Tha family has been involved with Hospice a few years ago with an Aunt who had cancer

the family would like hospice care

Will the above listed DX be adequate for hospice eval?

Please let me know ASAP

thank you!!

Darla

leslie :-D · Mar 14, 2005

[Have her evaluated-sound like she is.
\
QUOTE=darla80]First of all I am a proponent of Hospice and a firm believer in all that you do
I believe you are all angels
I am a nurse in an Internal medcine office and we often refer to hospice for palliative end of life care
My current dilemna.. we have a 94 Y/O female .. FX hip in 09/04.. since her hip FX she is unable to walk, cannot stand up without support on both sides and is for the most part bed bound.
She has DX of Parkinsons and is blind. She currently can not carrry out ADL due to general debility
her parkinsons has been well controlled
The physician I work with states that she will most likely not live another six months
Tha family has been involved with Hospice a few years ago with an Aunt who had cancer
the family would like hospice care
Will the above listed DX be adequate for hospice eval?
Please let me know ASAP
thank you!!
Darla

why does the doctor think she has less than 6 months to live? what is he basing it on?

from what i'm reading based on your information, i don't see why she'd be a candidate for hospice, acknowledging there has been an evident deterioration.

leslie

pamula64 · Mar 14, 2005

[it is an obvious deteriation in her condition-unable to ambulate do adls ect

QUOTE=darla80]First of all I am a proponent of Hospice and a firm believer in all that you do

I believe you are all angels

I am a nurse in an Internal medcine office and we often refer to hospice for palliative end of life care

My current dilemna.. we have a 94 Y/O female .. FX hip in 09/04.. since her hip FX she is unable to walk, cannot stand up without support on both sides and is for the most part bed bound.

She has DX of Parkinsons and is blind. She currently can not carrry out ADL due to general debility

her parkinsons has been well controlled

The physician I work with states that she will most likely not live another six months

Tha family has been involved with Hospice a few years ago with an Aunt who had cancer

the family would like hospice care

Will the above listed DX be adequate for hospice eval?

Please let me know ASAP

thank you!!

Darla

OneThunder, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2005

You have given enough information for a hospice eval. There are medicare guidelines that put forth for various diagnosis. I agree with the other posters, End stage debility sounds like the correct catagory.