1st Hospice overnighter

RoseK4020 · Oct 5, 2016

It sounds like you are talking about doing continuous care, a higher level of hospice service for clients with uncontrolled symptoms. Follow your agency guidelines for documentation, and focus on the reason the client is on CC. Anxiety? Document restless activity, movements, number of times out of bed (or trying to) during the night, talking, cognition, fears, etc. Document response to meds given. Be specific, paint the picture. As far as what to do in a client's home, behave as a helpful guest. Bring your own meal and drinks, ask which bathroom to use, etc. Clean up after yourself and your patient, take garbage to the bin, dirty linens to the laundry,etc. Use your free time to learn if you can. Google your clients illness, there are some great websites out there. Check out hospice and nursing blogs for help with non-pharmacological ways to manage symptoms. Ask if your client likes any special kind of music, then find it on your phone and enjoy it with him. I don't know why you would ever want to keep them awake but if he can't sleep despite meds, etc, draw him into conversation, help him reminisce, every patient has a lifetime of stories. Many hospice patients have issues to work through, and sometimes in those conversations at night a client may be at his most vulnerable and open. Listen actively, help him to review and reflect upon his life. You don't have to give advice, just be interested and genuine. Unless your client asks you not to, be sure to pass on what you've learned to the rest of your team, so they can best help him too. Good luck with your new position.