Questions and a Request

[marachne]

Hi all,

I have an interview a week from Tuesday with Kaiser Hospice, and I have a few questions, and a request.

First of all, as those of you who've hung around here know, I have a background in both hospice and palliative care, but it's a bit different from the norm.

My hospice (and some of my palliative care) background is in the VA, in patient. So the biggest difference is that I'm not dealing with Medicare at all -- no COPS, no (traditional) certification/recertification, little dealing w/outside primary docs (and they all tend to be w/i the VA system). Our palliative care pts are often folks are sometimes people who need their symptoms controlled, but often they are admitted into the unit b/c they are getting a radiation series, often for head and neck cancer so they need supportive care, either because they are from other parts of the state, or they have no support system while they are going to get debilitiated and likely need support in terms of tube feedings and the like. Sometimes tx doesn't allow for discharge and they just seamlessly move over to hospice care. Also, while we try and limit the time that our hospice patients are with us (after having the first few be with us for over a year) we're not talking GIP where the requirements are very strict. LOS sometimes IS hours (when they get sent over from the hospital at the last minute), but it can be months.

The other, large part of my palliative care expierience was in a role that is usually more an NP role where we do hospital consults for symptom management, goals clarification, care planning, etc.

What is of course the same is that I've dealt with all the stuff around EOL -- symptom manaagement, dying trajectory, pyschosocial & spiritual issues, family support / conflict resolution, supportive presence, education, etc.

The other thing that is different for me is that I was never hired specifically as a hospice nurse. The unit is part of the skilled/LTC facility, and really, my interview was kind of a formality anyway, because my mentor (who worked for quite a while as a CNS in the facility) and is close to the DON basically said "she's a good one, hire her."

So:

1. I've never worked community based hospice (although I have some knowledge/experience w/it)
   
2. I've never interviewed for a hospice position
   
3. I've never worked community palliative care (and while I know that Kaiser does have community-based palliative care, I'm not sure if the same folks do both).
   

I'm interviewing for two positions really, one is a per diem, one is part time (benefited). I have been told that the job requires working one weekend a month, and being backup on-call once a month.

I can't work full-time right now anyway, because I'm still finishing up my PhD dissertation.

I have read through some of the prior posts here about interviewing for hospice positions, but I'd appreciate any words of advice and wisdom y'all can give me. The other reality is that I haven't worked outside of the VA, and have only done a few nursing interiviews of any kind before. So, anything about interviewing for a nursing position in general, for a hospice position (not full-time) specifcially, and for the Kaiser system in particular would be appreciated.

And the other request? Think good thoughts for me on 7/28!

miriam

[marachne]

Bumping this up in hopes of a reply.

[leslie :-D]

marachne, you'll be fine.

seriously.

firstly, it sounds like you already have a solid chance of being hired.

secondly, whether it is your background, or any other type of nurse, most hospices will hire that special applicant who shows a genuine affinity towards eol care.

and so, betw the recommendation you will be receiving, and having a hospice background, you have nothing to worry about.

your presentation of who you are, will speak for itself in the interview.

so a week from today, yes?

you'll knock 'em dead...

so to speak.

leslie