marachne

marachne

Hospice, Palliative Care, Gero, dementia

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All Content by marachne

  1. Congestive Heart Failure

    Monica, I'm not saying that her pain shouldn't be aggressively treated, I'm just saying that sometime people do not realize that increasing an opioid, particularly morphine which creates a lot of...
  2. Congestive Heart Failure

    Monica, I am still wondering if she has too much morphine on board (because of the jerking). Ask if there is any way they would consider switching to another opioid. I know it's hard seeing her seem...
  3. I don't know Corvalis well enough to comment on the state of the tattoo shops, but considering that it seems you can't live in Oregon w/o being inked or pierced, and that it has a large student...
  4. OHSU and other PDX area applicants for 2009

    Just one correction -- unless they have changed things, in the accelerated program you do not earn a BS. You are entitled to sit for the NCLEX, but you don't earn a degree (part of why you have to...
  5. African Americans in Oregon

    I hope your experience continues to a good one -- and that includes you nursing education experience. Good luck with
  6. African Americans in Oregon

    I'm glad your experience has been good. I have an AA friend here Philly and he's been quite comfortable. Another friend from NC left after 5 years, and one reason was that she just couldn't get...
  7. How are you going to Vote - US

    Ah. Found it. Advice for those going to vote: BEFORE YOU GO TO VOTE confirm polling location: not always same as primary / caucus location. print out voting rights: know phone numbers, rules, etc....
  8. How are you going to Vote - US

    Pagandiva, Please contact the Our Vote people they are working very hard to make sure that everyone who is entitled to votes. They also say do not accept a provisional ballot if at all possible. Talk...
  9. Congestive Heart Failure

    Monica, I'm glad our words have helped -- and it's true, you can prepare, but you can never be prepared. I will often draw parallels between birth and death -- these are the two great passages which...
  10. How are you going to Vote - US

    Obama. Voted a couple of weeks ago as we have an all mail-in system here and learned the last time that the earlier you get you ballot in, the sooner they take you off of the call lists. I so glad...
  11. Congestive Heart Failure

    Joining all the other voices in terms of encouraging you to continue to do what you are doing -- hold her hand, talk to her, hug her -- don't be afraid to tell stories, laugh (it really is ok!),...
  12. NYU Palliative NP Program

    I don't know about the NYU program, but I would be very cautious about doing an NP program with that as your specialty....at least right now. The reason is that not all states will recognize that...
  13. African Americans in Oregon

    Thanks for actually spelling out about Eugene and Corvallis -- I mentioned them, but w/o naming them. The thing that people don't understand about Eugene though is that the cost of living there is...
  14. African Americans in Oregon

    Not an AA, but I can give you my perspective: Oregon has a history of both being very white and racist. At one time (in the 20's and 30's in particular) the KKK was very large and influential (in the...
  15. Addressing the Nursing Shortage

    Couple of problems w/your argument: The nursing shortage is not just because nursing programs had scaled back nurses leaving the field -- there's also that good old "demographic imperative:" The...
  16. How do you use the FAST Scale?

    Twinkle ears, the issue is that people at OP's agency are using it for documentation for people without dementia. The scale is one that is used for a prognosis (and yes, now a certification) tool for...
  17. How do you use the FAST Scale?

    :icon_hug: I'm so sorry to hear this. I don't know what kind of agency you work for (i.e. are they an independent agency, part of a chain, part of a larger healthcare system like a hospital system,...
  18. How do you use the FAST Scale?

    That sounds like a good strategy. Good luck, and let me know how it
  19. Spiritual side of Hospice

    It is hard, and tricky when you get to these kinds of questions, and I think that part of what happens as you work is you learn what works best for you. One of the things that I think can help is to...
  20. No five stages of grief

    It's not a "law" or even a "rule" but there are those who like simple answers and there can be a tyranny of linearity. I lay at least some of the blame on how US culture is so good at taking subtle,...
  21. Transfusion helpful in end stage cancer?

    Agree w/Leslie. Looking at how it was handled at the VA, when I worked there kind of illustrates how tricky it can be. As a way of providing some extra energy, perhaps to get some important things...
  22. No five stages of grief

    I think the biggest problem (beside the fact that there is no empirical evidence) is that somehow it became seen as a linear thing -- you go though stage 1, then 2, etc. I haven't heard anyone in the...
  23. How do you use the FAST Scale?

    all makes perfect sense, really. and i had no idea who was the rn and who was the lvn before you told me. i know the issues of hierarchies and power can be tricky indeed. as i said, i'm glad you...
  24. How do you use the FAST Scale?

    I'm glad you work well together -- that means everyone (especially the patients) win! Don't sell your own knowledge, intelligence and experience short. I know it's easy to second guess yourself when...
  25. Fentanyl Patch

    I guess this is part of why I have trouble wrapping my head around "converting" from a NSAID to an opiate. You can only estimate even w/i classes of drugs (esp w/fentanyl). And with an older adult,...