hospicevet 20 ASN, RN

hospicevet 20 has 25 years experience as a ASN, RN and specializes in Hospice, Education, Critical Care Peds.

Latest Activity

1. Suicide

   hospicevet 20 replied to Vtachy1's topic in Hospice

   Had a patient years ago that committed suicide via shotgun in the mouth. The DNR wasn't even mentioned. Our whole team was traumatized, but the director of the hospice was super supportive, and arranged group and private counselling with a psycholo...

2. blank signed scripts

   hospicevet 20 posted a topic in Hospice

   Does anyone have any opinions about having blank signed scripts for the on call nurse? I am working for a hospice and the medical director has signed a couple of scripts, to be filled in with what we need, for example roxanol, ativan, or whatever, w...

3. Help me become more empathetic.

   hospicevet 20 replied to desertnurz's topic in LTC Directors

   I really don't think that acting is the way to do it. Personally, if a person makes it a point to say my name and then proceeds to spew out some feel good drivel, I know it's BS, and so does anyone with any sense at all. It does not make me feel list...

4. Interested in entering your world

   hospicevet 20 replied to NurseKJay's topic in Hospice

   I think you're wise in not making a jump so soon after losing your grandmother. Talking with her hospice nurse is probably a good idea, since she knows you, and can probably give you some good advice. When I started in hospice, it was preferred tha...

5. Team Meetings & Hospice Nursing Diagnosis

   hospicevet 20 replied to LookUp2Sky's topic in Hospice

   Oh, and Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine, by Doyle, Hanks, and MacDonald. Also Symptom Management Algorithms: A Handbook for Palliative Care, by Linda Wrede-Seaman, M.D.

6. Team Meetings & Hospice Nursing Diagnosis

   hospicevet 20 replied to LookUp2Sky's topic in Hospice

   I used to work for a large for-profit hospice, and cost containment was a huge issue. We were expected to give report in IDG in 3-5 minutes, and if there weren't any big changes, to say "no big changes." We would briefly talk about any meds that we...

7. A Conversation with my Supervisor

   hospicevet 20 replied to raebabelvn's topic in General Nursing

   Rather than getting angry at the NM, it might be more instructive to her to ask her how she would want you to handle it. Granted, it doesn't feel as good as telling someone to go suck an egg, or whatever, but it puts the responsibility of infection ...

8. Too Many Hats, Not enough heads

   hospicevet 20 replied to hospicevet 20's topic in Hospice

   Have had a few interviews, and a couple sound really good. (the good news!) Had lunch with one of my former teammates last week, and she said the new plan is to have the RN only see the patients every other week, and the LPN will see patients & ...

9. The thought of leaving the nursing field brings me an overwhelming sense of peace....

   hospicevet 20 replied to efda3's topic in General Nursing

   Funny how things work out. I didn't want to be a nurse, wanted to go to med school, then found out I was going to be a single parent of two kids. Went ahead and got my nursing, "settling for" something that was at least medical. Began working in N...

10. What is the longest long day anyone works???

    hospicevet 20 replied to snoopy29's topic in General Nursing

    Looking at it another way, in October I worked travel, patient visits, care conferences, office time and charting, and on call, working 48 hours on weekends, and managed to get two, count 'em, two complete days off. Does taking on call duty after wo...

11. No dogs allowed in room

    hospicevet 20 replied to Blackcat99's topic in Private Duty

    While not everyone has a kitty or drinks coffee, usually people in their own home will have laundry soap, either liquid or powdered. It works well, especially if there aren't a lot of pills that have to be crushed. I keep a bag of kitty litter in ...

12. Danger to self? help!

    hospicevet 20 replied to Trubie's topic in General Nursing

    Did I miss any mention of a pain assessment? Too frequently pain is overlooked in agitated demented patients, and it may be their only way of communicating their distress. Many times I've seen patients settle down, tolerate their NC, and play nicel...

13. Too Many Hats, Not enough heads

    hospicevet 20 replied to hospicevet 20's topic in Hospice

    Penny wise, Pound foolish, as my granny used to say. They have had to import a nurse from out of state, put her up in a hotel, rent a car, and pay for all meals. What really chaps my hide is that she doesn't know the patients or their families, doe...

14. Too Many Hats, Not enough heads

    hospicevet 20 posted a topic in Hospice

    Hi All, While I am considered a strong hospice nurse, and have gobs of experience, I have come up against a wall. I just resigned from a position with a for-profit corporate focused hospice, that is branched off from a home care company. When I w...

15. lung ca symptom mgmt

    hospicevet 20 replied to onewithhospiceheart's topic in Hospice

    I didn't see any reference to what kind of lung CA. Be aware that some kinds of lung CAs like to mets to the brain, and you may see some different symptoms than you would with another pulmonary process. I had a patient with lung CA that had horribl...