MissIt

Just out of curiosity, are there no codes because your hospice requires everyone to be a DNR or because they send people back to the hospital? We don't require DNRs and we would end up calling 911 if someone that was a full code stopped breathing, ...

Also maybe do a bladder scan. Sometimes Versed is used, as well. It is sedating, but we've had people on a Versed pump who were able to wake up and talk with their family, answer if they were in pain, etc.

I don't know about employment, but our hospice does ask volunteers who have had a recent loss to do administrative tasks, not patient care, for a year after (only volunteers that weren't working there during the loss). Nurses who have a loss in thei...

Are there any inpatient hospice units in your area? Maybe working part time or prn at one of those might help you get your foot in the door with a company? Then you would be the internal candidate taking the job!

Another thing to consider for the massage is to talk with local chiropractors. Mine has two massage therapists on staff because the massage helps people hold their adjustments longer because their muscle tightness isn't pulling everything out of lin...

NVCC has a wonderful program, they really prepare their nurses well. If it were me, I would call nursing recruiting at both Virginia Hospital Center and one of the Inova hospitals and ask them what they recommend. Honestly, I think for getting a j...

Oh, massages would be great. That's what I'm suggesting if anyone ever asks me!! :)

I worked in a wonderful clinic where the doctors took over and staffed the clinic over lunch so all the nurses could go out to lunch together. And we got to actually go to a restaurant for a real sit down lunch, not just the cafeteria. LOL Our nur...

Are there any traditional 2 year BSN programs in your area? I had a biology BS before I went to nursing school and did the junior and senior years of the BSN program. At the time they didn't have an accelerated program, although I have heard that t...

Do you have your prereqs? Honestly, I think you're going to find that the ADN program is almost as challenging as the BSN program. IMHO, the hardest classes are the ones the ADN and BSN programs share. And then you have your BSN and don't have to ...

I don't think I'd stay behind with the kids and do the program. Nursing school is really hard and it is going to be even worse if you've also taken on all of the parenting duties. Mclean is a lovely area. I'm doing my RN refresher at Northern Virg...

Congratulations!!

It depends on the hospital. Some hospitals do have hospice floors or designated hospice beds on other floors, oncology for example. Other hospitals don't have any inpatient hospice beds, but, obviously, people are admitted for end of life care on o...

I read yesterday that the University of Maryland new grad program is still active.

Of course it depends a bit on the facility where you work, but ours is a lot more technical than I thought it would be. Pain is of course, a major concern. There aren't many IVs, but many of our patients have central lines or subcutaneous sites for...

I suspect that after a month, or so, you'll know if this is your niche. Being a hospice volunteer is amazing. You get to support patients in a way that the staff just doesn't have the time to do. You will learn a lot about symptom management and n...

I think your chances are good, as long as you have the background they require. Actually, there is one woman at our facility who did this while in nursing school and got a job as a new grad. I know people at our agency have been hired, both inpatie...

I talked with a lot of nurse recruiters before starting the NOVA program and they all said do the program and then I'll forward your application to the nurse managers. In my opinion, the only way to get a job in this economy is to make a personal co...

Sharon, I hope you realize what a blessing you were for your husband in his last days. I hope I am both able to help my loved ones like that and that, when the time comes, someone loves me enough to care for me so well.

I agree. Most people don't feel like they know what they're doing when they start out. As you go, you'll see the same meds over and over, do the same procedures over and over, etc. You are going to be very slow when you first start and that's okay...

I'm taking an RN refresher and will start prn at the inpatient facility as soon as I'm done. And, yes, I plan to continue to volunteer. I actually like volunteering even better than nursing, but it doesn't pay very well! LOL You really get to kn...

Is this inpatient or outpatient hospice? I have found that volunteering at the inpatient hospice is an invaluable way to make contacts and see if it's a good match. At our company, we can't volunteer as nurses, but as a patient care volunteer, we d...

Look at UNC's accelerated program, too. It's a lot cheaper than Duke's if you wait for a year to get in-state tuition. I had a degree already, as well, and opted for the traditional 2 year BSN, which was good as well. Also look at the State Educati...

Hard to say where more jobs would be, but Wake Forest is near a lot of big hospitals-- Wake Med, Duke, Rex. I think you'll find yourself driving a ton if you live in Wake Forest, though. The housing prices are cheaper, but you have to go down Capit...

It sort of depends on the area where you live and the specific hospices there. Some have on call RNs that take the majority of after hours/weekend call and the case managers for those companies have a much more regular M-F type schedule. Other hosp...