Al Stephens

Latest Activity

1. Hospice On Call Compensation Structure

   Al Stephens replied to Katillac's topic in Hospice

   here at our hospice, I work Mondays, Tuesdays, from 5pm until 8 am, and every other weekend from 5pm on friday until 8 am on monday, for regular salary. I also get 25 for any visit I do before or after my regular hours, and 50 for extra admits. I als...

2. What's your holiday bonus?

   Al Stephens replied to Meerkat's topic in General Nursing

   for the pat 5 years, I had received a bonus of over 800 each year, but this year, due to the low number of patients, we did not get one, but we know that when the census goes back up, then next year, there will be bonuses again...when I worked in bot...

3. Questions about being a Nurse

   Al Stephens replied to racheltmv's topic in General Nursing

   Hey compadres, I think we gave rachael a good assortment of jobs, and ideas for her paper right? Rachael, if there are any more needs for ideas, I think you will always find an answer or two, and then have to make your own mind up. Being a nurse, to...

4. HELP! caregiver causing issues

   Al Stephens replied to WV_heart_RN's topic in Hospice

   sounds like it is time for a sit down, with the family, the caregiver, the wound care nurse, you, and the social worker assigned to the family. point blank ask her what she thinks should be done, then what you and the wound care manager think should ...

5. Questions about being a Nurse

   Al Stephens replied to racheltmv's topic in General Nursing

   Lets see if I can answer some of your questions.... 1. I am an on call nurse, for a Hospice. 2. I have worked as this for over 6 years now. 3. There is no formal training for such a position. I basically am a triage nurse, handling any and all emer...

6. 6 weeks and going strong

   Al Stephens replied to kelluvanurse's topic in Hospice

   actually, after 5 years of being on call for a Hospice, there is a burn out factor, and that has to do not with ones heart not bing into it, but rather, being so deeply involved that your emotions become freyed, and torn..and you know that you are hu...

7. I accepted hospice position.

   Al Stephens replied to kelluvanurse's topic in Hospice

   great, and welcome aboard one of the most rewarding, and most tearjerking areas of nursing. It is hard work on your heart, but in the end, when the family looks at you and says thank you. you know you gave their loved one your best. And when you see ...

8. in home emergency packs

   Al Stephens replied to Al Stephens's topic in Hospice

   thanks, now that is a full em kit, I talked with my DON and medical coordinator, about all the other em packs out there. We are undergoing a pharmacy change, from one to two, primary during regular hours, secondary for us oncall after hour types. So ...

9. Please share with me your experiences with this....

   Al Stephens replied to *LA*'s topic in Hospice

   LA, your experience is nothing unusual really, when dealing with the dying, you see things like this all the time and it is very hard to explain to the family, let alone the patient. My wife used to see a little boy standing at the end of her bed, f...

10. in home emergency packs

    Al Stephens replied to Al Stephens's topic in Hospice

    dont know if it was just a temp problem, but we now have the scope patches again, i would not want to go back to the injectables, but. we take whatever we can get...I passed on to our powers that be that something like roxinal would be a good idea......

11. Where will u work as an RN?

    Al Stephens replied to luv4nursing's topic in LPN-RN

    When I first graduated I worked a Med/Tele unit at two different hospitals, but when I had a chance to work as a Hospice nurse, I made that my specialty, including getting my CHPN cert. I loved Med/Tele, and if I had not the opportunity to go Hospic...

12. My master plan... Can it work??? (kinda long..sorry!!)

    Al Stephens replied to FutureAustinNurse's topic in Texas

    your master plan can work, depending on what they want, but do you not have a second plan? if you have to take student loans, that is not the greatest, but may be the only way...I worked at the state school in san angelo and took out two small loans ...

13. Misys in hospice care

    Al Stephens replied to mab19's topic in Hospice

    we have been using mysis for almost 2 years now, and use it for all, yes it at first took a long time for the admissions, and some assessments, but in time, when you learn what areas expect, well, i am able to do an admisson in under 2 hours, and an...

14. in home emergency packs

    Al Stephens replied to Al Stephens's topic in Hospice

    thanks for the feedback, i wanted to ensure that most of us oncall did not carry anthing with us (I dont and even though there is no comparable "rough areas" to some major cities, it can still be tight in parts of this city). In our em packs we carry...

15. in home emergency packs

    Al Stephens posted a topic in Hospice

    I have a simple question for all the experienced Hospice Nurse out here. does your hospice order some sort of emergency pack for the patients home (I would like to know what is in it, but that is up to your Hospice policy or not), also, for those oth...