webblarsk

I work Home Health. The agency I work for wants us to "carry on" seeing patients after a brief assessment. Am I crazy to think this is wrong? I'm not worried about catching the virus. I'm worried about bringing it into compromised patients. Especially since we can be carrying the virus without being symptomatic. Am I wrong to want to refuse to see patients until this is under control? These are patients that do not have wound care, IV treatments, etc..... Just a basic visit.

Congrats! So happy for you!

We are implementing something like that! So maybe that will be helpful! Thanks for all the suggestions, I appreciate it!

The medical director is great! Very willing to try new things. The problem in this area is the other doc's. They get so upset if the medical director suggests anything. Its a big power struggle!

I have heard alot about Methadone and how good it is, and would love to try it. But I am in a rural area with a bunch of doc's that seem afraid of Methadone! Have you run into a problem like that where you are? Do you have any tips of how to get the Doc's approval?

Is the SW involved any? Someone for him to talk to and help through this process? Someone for the family to talk to? Especially if you feel like you can't talk to the nurse! Is he Spiritual? Should the Chaplain be involved? The nurse should be addressing those issues as well as the pain!

I was wondering if anyone uses a protocol for pain management. For instance using a milder pain medication and working up to what is needed. The hospice I work for goes straight for a Duragesic patch when pain becomes a issue. My question is would it be better for the patient if we started out less and worked up. I was just curious if any hospice's have a protocol for pain and some examples that I could present! Or if we are doing the right thing using Duragesic patches all the time! TIA!

Maybe he took it to not hurt his feelings and will return the extra after appling it to his bill?

I have a question kind of related to this one. I am also a firm believer in trying to treat the fever. But has anyone noticed that the body stops absorbing the supp? I noticed this on a patient last week. Do you have any other suggestions in a case like this?

Wow, I think that is a really crappy response and uncalled for. From what she has told us I think she handled the situation the best she could have, and probably better than alot of nurses would have. The fact that she is upset about it obviously shows what a compassionate person she is! I think at no point in the story did she say she was outraged about the situation but felt like she was being singled out in the situation!

I think what you do is wonderful! Don't ever stop. If I was hospitalized or my family was I would want a nurse like you taking care of them!

Thanks guys. I just need to let go of the guilt! I am fixing to go check in with him and the family!

I have a patient beginning the stages of dying in a LTC facility. I spent time with him last night getting his pain med's adjusted and speaking with his wife. This morning I went over and checked on him, did a complete assess. Making sure pt is pain free and comfortable. The wife has a sister-in-law and preacher with her. I guess my question is I am feeling guilty that I am not over there sitting with her just waiting................ I work for a small hospice in a rural area and I am the only on-call nurse so I have other call's I have to handle. My guestion is how other hospice's handle the dying process in a nursing facility. Do you do continuous care? Do you ensure that the pt's and family's needs are being taken care of and let the nursing facility handle the primary care of the patient? I am curious about how its handled elsewhere? Thanks in advance! P.S. Sorry for the rambling!

Thanks for the replies. I did access it. Got a really good blood return and it flushed beautifully. Thank goodness.

I read the entire story and I understood she had been lying beside a dead body for hours. But when the Poster was laughing that the caregiver was in the corner shaking...........I didn't find that funny. And believe me, I have a good sense of humor. But don't find humor in someone else's sadness.

:uhoh21: That is actually pretty sad. I don't find the humor in that. And I like to think I have a good sense of humor.

I really despise people like that. Its hard to believe that they don't know what they are saying is hurtful and inappropriate at the time. I've come across people like that and just can't believe their lack of tact. Luckily I don't work with anyone like that right now.

I agree with everyone else. Find a new provider that is willing to listen to your concerns and do something about them. Don't put this off. Find someone new. Be persistent. This is your health you are talking about.

But if she has already done nights for awhile, a transfer to days may not really be that impossible. I worked night shift for 3 months and than transfered to day shift.

If you hate nights so bad, can't you put in for a transfer to day shift?

I am so sorry you are feeling this way. I would definitley apply for a day shift position and be persistent about it. Also getting used to night shift is hard on the body, and I don't think your body ever really gets used to it. I can remember working night shift for 6 months and feeling the same way you are describing. Best of luck. Keep us posted.

Good luck to you. Keep us posted. I remember feeling just like you are. I am sure you did great!

I was thinking the same thing. The Alzheimer's patients we admit are pretty far deterioated. Not walking and speech is very limited. Garbled and irrelevant. Weight loss. Frequent hospitalizations. etc.........

Thanks! I will give it a try!

I just admitted a patient that transfered from another hospice and hasn't had his infusaport flushed in 10 weeks. Should I try to flush it or do you think its gone bad? What is the longest they can go without being flushed? I thought they were supposed to be flushed every 6 weeks? He is a terminal cancer patient, so I would like to keep his port in working condition in case he needs IV pain meds down the road. Thanks in advance.