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There is a huge amount of music for the dying out there: 1. "Music for the Dying" by Donalyn 2. "Gifts Of The Angels" by Steven Halpern 3. "Grace Instrumental" - various artists 4. "Ladder of the Soul" by Paul Baker 5. "Music for Healing" by Stephen Rhodes Hope this helps.

I am a hospice nurse and have dealt with this same, frustrating issue. You might check with a nearby college or university's foreign language department for assistance, as well as local churches; my patient was Vietnamese and found a local church that was willing to help. Also, AT&T has a translation service available which I have used in the past.

We use either Phenergan or Haldol.

Our RN Case Managers are salaried - no pay when on call, but paid set amounts for deaths, tasks, visits and admissions.

One of my first deaths was beautiful and moving. She was a 75 y/o hispanic woman who had ESRD, 11 kids (6 boys, 5 girls), all married with kids of their own. This lady lived in run-down 1.0K sqft home. All of her kids were there, including their spouses and their kids - about 75-80 people in this house, spilling out to the front, side and backyards. For breakfast, she asked for her usual cream of wheat and coffee - attempted to feed her with a spoon - no go, attempted to place a small amt on her tongue with a syringe - no go. She said in Spanish, "Leave me in peace, leave me in peace." Even in her condition, SHE was in CHARGE of her family! This wonderful lady passed away about 3 hours later. At the moment she drew her last breath, it appeared that she called to everyone outside and inside the house to her bedroom. There were many hugs and many tears. I explained our procedures, i.e., bathing/post mortem care, phone calls to the ME, physician, funeral home, etc. and invited her children and others to participate at whatever comfort level they desired. The daughters immediately came forward and stated that they would bath her themselves. They placed a clean down and some catholic regalia on her. I then explained the process when the funeral home arrived and encouraged those that desired to leave the house when the cot was brought in. The sons came forward and stated they would place her on the funeral home cot. After this was done, the children lined up single-file behind the cot and followed her outside to the service car. This was love in its' purest, most unconditional form. I had to make a quick exit from the house after the FH left, and had to stop a few times on my way home to compose myself.

I took a huge pay cut to go into hospice nursing. I find it sometimes draining, but immensely rewarding. My family remarks that I am no longer in a bad mood after work. This week, I have had three patients die - two at home where they wanted to be - surrounded by an extraordinary amount of love from their families. One of my patients was an avid SA Spurs basketball fan. The game started at 1900 hrs, his TOD of 1855 hours. He made it just in time to root the Spurs onto a 23-point victory over Utah! I don't see myself leaving hospice nursing - ever!!!

Just finished with a patient with CA of rectum, liver, kidney, bladder, etc - three ostomies - had a PICC line that we were giving Morphine and Ativan IVP. We have had patients with morphine/dilaudid PCA and intrathecal morphine. Have never had problems.

You have LVNs. If she is end stage, symptoms are out of control and she is iminent, LVNs could do crisis care. This is a good case for crisis care!

Our continuous care department is having to turn down referrals because there aren't enough LVN's. Management wants to schedule the LVN's for 12.5 hour days, 4 consecutive days per week. What are other scheduling scenarios that other CC departments have?

We get $1.00/hr. for "beeper call." The RN case managers are salaried and get $75.00 for a new admission (takes about 4 to 4-1/2 hours), $60.00 for an unscheduled visit or task, and $45.00 for a death. Our crisis care LVN's get $1.00/hr for beeper call and then will draw their hourly salary if the are called to begin a crisis care case are do a unscheduled problem or task visit.

I'm sorry for your loss. I have been a hospice nurse for the last six months and have lost many patients. I have had to acknowledge that my patients will die, and I try to make each and every moment I spend with them the best ever. You don't forget about them, but you learn to move on. Hang in there.

I am a hospice LVN with a primary assignment of crisis/continuous care in the home or other facilities. When our census is low, I perform weekly visits with other patients. My RN case managers trust my judgement to call the physician as needed, the notify them when changes might be needed. We are not allowed to perform admit or recert assessments, nor are we allowed to pronounce death. I have been a hospice nurse for three months, after 20+ years in administrative/URQA roles. A hospice nurses' role is meaningful and has purpose. I found my niche and don't see myself every going back to any other field of nursing.