RnRatchet

I had 4 years of experience when I took the exam. I studied the core curriculum and used the quiz book alone and with a study partner. The exam was more challenging then the RN boards for me.. just because many of the questions seemed to have more than one right answer. The new exam is computerized and you find out immediately if you have passed or not - that lifts a HUGE weight - the waiting many weeks was the worst! I definitely recommend any hospice nurse that has a couple of years of experience to go for the CHPN. I feel that I learned a lot from the study time and it refreshed me on things that we don't deal with real often. Good Luck and let us know when you pass!:redbeathe:wink2:

Our agency did give out window clings with our logo on them to anyone that wanted them. BUT they were also available to the public and our volunteers. (Free advertising..lol) Our company saw it as just a way to support a local business.. no different from someone putting their child's school logo sticker on the window I guess. I personally did not display one and do not have RN on my license plate since we go into some not so nice areas sometimes to see patients. We do not carry meds at any time, but I see no reason to give a drug seeking person an idea that my car might have some goodies inside!

Looks like you can get this from a european toy store.. http://www.elc.co.uk/toy-41104?&parent_category_id=534&category_id=604&showall=

When I took it last year, I felt like a large chunk of it came from my past experiences and relating it to the questions. There were several case scenarios that asked "what would you do next?" So, the studying that I did helped mesh my experiences with what the test was asking. I'm sure you're do great.. good luck!

Well.... if we have students or a resident that has stopped by to observe.. he likes to show off..lol He sometimes gets off on a tangent too.. :chuckle

we do a weekly report with the nurses and the CSM (clinical services manager) then acts as voice for the nurses during IDT.. it has really cut down on staff having to cram all their patients in to be seen around the meeting. Besides CSM the social workers, volunteer coord. and medical director are all present. Depending on how many times we have to reign back in the Medical director, it lasts anywhere from 1.5-2.5 hours

How very beautiful. Good for you and your co-wrkers to be with this gentleman as he left this life. I too believe no one should die alone. We have vigilant volunteers that work with our hospice that will stay with a patient around the clock if no family is available when a patient is changing.

LOL.. my sister is PG with her 2nd baby. When she went in for the ultrasound the Dr. told her husband he was sexist for wanting a boy..lol.. After he told her it was indeed a girl (what she was hoping for) the doctor said he likes girls better because they are better for business..lol

For what you would be willing to pay for him to stay at a hospice house (even though this particular one doesn't do residential) maybe you could look into a senior community of sorts? We visit several patient's in places where there is a LPN or RN who is the manager and helps set up med boxes and make Dr. appt's for residents. Most of them allow the pt to have their car is they have a valid driver's license and all allow the pt to come and go as they please. Most all include meals and cleaning services too. Good luck in looking for a place for dad to call home.:)

We also start with Phenergan and then go from there. One combo that we commonly use for any type of cancer involving the abdomen is a BRD.. Benedryl, Reglan, Decadron.. I've also seen variations with Ativan or Haldol in them depending on patient need. We do either pills (ends up being several to swallow), a topical cream compounded by one of the pharmacies in the area, a compounded suppository, or on occasion IV is used.

in our agency it's just the sop - it's a blanket statement i think to cya for the agency

at our hospice an lpn can do almost everything a rn does. the things lpn's don't do: hha sup visits, lab draws, admission assessments. good luck!

regarding hospice and dnr.. if the hospice accepts medicare.... eligibility-medicare hospice benefit 1. the patient must be entitled to medicare part a (hospital payments); once the patient decides to enter hospice care, they sign off part a and sign on (elect) the mhb. note: this process is reversible-patients may at a future time elect to return to medicare part a. 2. the patient must be certified by the hospice medical director and 1 physician to have a life expectancy 3. under medicare, dnr status cannot be used as a requirement for admission. info from.. medicare hospice benefit part 1. turner, r. january 2003. end-of-life physician education resource center http://www.eperc.mcw.edu

how very true. several times we've spoken with families that got scared and called 911.. but by the time they realize what they did they call hospice and the nurse gets to the house shortly after the ambulance. the family then says they were just scared and decline transport and we call the doc to get orders for whatever symptom changes they've had.