NatureRN

I worked in acute care hospitals for close to two decades. I finally started noticing that nurses caring for patients who were on "comfort care" orders didn't seem to have alot of knowledge or preparation for the new goals of care. As a result, they seemed afraid to carry out orders for end-of-life comfort meds, etc, and patients were not really comfortable. Repeatedly, I saw nurses undermedicate patients because they did not c/o pain-- never mind that they were tense and grimacing but couldn't c/o pain. They seemed afraid they'd kill the patients by overmedicating them, so they undermedicated instead. I wanted to learn more about palliative care and nursing, so I started doing some research. At about the same time, I found myself getting burned out on acute care nursing. I made a list of all the things I wanted to get out of my "ideal" job, and when I compared hospice nursing to my list, it was an almost exact match! I LOVE hospice nursing. Every day, I feel I make a real difference, and have the autonomy to try new and creative solutions that are tailored to each patients' needs. I don't think I'll ever return to acute care nursing! Yes, it is a sad time, and as a hospice nurse, you have a more intimate relationship with your patients and their families. However, it is just this that allows you to really make a difference in a most critical time in a family's history. Helping people to see death as a natural end to life, and helping them get past their fears to help their loved one have a "good death" is an extremely rewarding thing.