Too young for Hospice?

PMHNP10 · Nov 20, 2003

This fascinates and irritates me to no end. :angryfire I have seen it between members on this board, I have seen it in real life, and in fact have been the recipient of it. That "it" of course is one nurse telling another nurse you wouldn't do a good job in that field, or you aren't ready for that field. That is such a bs statement. You do a bad job of doing things you hate to do; you strive to improve and learn what you love to do. Is this not logical to everyone; so why do we see it soo much?

If ICU nursing gives you warm fuzzies and a sense of internal joy, how dare anyone say you can't handle it. If hospice nursing gives you a reason to wake up and get ready for work, phooey on the naysayers. If the only thing you ever wanted to do is psych nursing and someone says you couldn't handle it. I say you are out of your everloving mind you pompous twit (can you tell I didn't take kind to such a remark?) We have enough tearing us down in this career path. Why not make at least a half-a$$ed attempt at building our fellow nurses up, even if we don't mean it.

I would only wish you were this person's boss some day and you could call her into your office and say...I don't think you have the people skills necessary to be an effective manager.

I love it when I get fired up about a subject. But I'm weird like that.

MelRN13 · Dec 4, 2003

Thank you all for your positive attitudes, and sorry it took me so long to reply (been busy with the moving thing). I am bound to my current position for 18 months, and then I think I will more aggressively apply myself towards this goal.

KatrinkaRN · Dec 4, 2003

I agree wholeheartedly with what everyone has said. I've been in hospice for three years...and I believe it is a calling. All the nurses that I've worked with truly want to be doing this kind of work.

But I must admit, I've been told by a few nurses that I work along side that I'm young (I'm 38) and somehow that has a bearing on my abilities as a hospice nurse (???). It is age discrimination...but I don't let it get to me.

Melissa...good luck to you...I think you'd make a great hospice nurse...your heart is in the right place!

jmg6481 · Dec 11, 2003

Age does not matter! I work for Hospice and I have a special bond with these families because I understand what they are going through. I lost my father at a young age and I feel that because of this I am a great help to these families! I understand them, know what they are going through and know what kind of advice to give. You would be a great Hospice nurse and I think you should go for it! I love Hospice and everything they stand for! Good luck!

Mazzi · Dec 11, 2003

I have been a hospice nurse for 7 yrs. I have seen nursed come and go. I have worked with 25yr up to 65 yr olds and see/saw no difference. Try another hospice. Good luck.

thatnurseguy · Dec 18, 2003

I agree with most of the posts----follow your heart.

eagleriver · Dec 21, 2003

Debo, that's really impressive that an agency nurse can work in hospice. I don't think it's possible in Florida, at least not in Tallahasee. I'll bet they checked up on you quite a bit before offering you the chance to work hospice.

One of the greatest benefits of working hospice is that finally and forever, one learns not to sweat the small stuff!

thatnurseguy · Dec 21, 2003

At Four Seasons Hospice we use agency for our inpatient unit along with making home/hospital/and nursing home "visits". We are VERY pickey about who we let see our patients.

fetchitgold · Jan 15, 2004

Melissa,

Started hospice work when I was 28, and have been at it 10 yrs now. Only one time in all these years have I had a patient request to have someone more "mature" than me ... guess I should have let my grey roots show more! :rolleyes:

We have a lot of staff that start this work when they are in their 20s and it is not an issue.

Good luck,

Tracy

bungy · Mar 14, 2004

Hi - I realise that this post is a couple of months behind the last one (hope I'm not too late...?)

I think that while a nurse CAN be too young for Hospice, it has little to do with your biological age. Some people would never be able to do it.

I'm 32, have been in hospice for 12 months, (haematology/oncology before that, and aged care while I was studying.) I have always had a vocation for this area, and I think I could safely say that I was born too old for ED. ( :chuckle )

Trauma Columnist · Mar 14, 2004

I say go for it. My father was in hospice for 9 days. The night he died, the sitter that we had hired from hospice to be with him at night - called me and told me he had died. She was a young woman whom my father had grown quite close to - in just 9 short days. Everyone I met through hospice was so wonderful! I say go for it too!

MelRN13 · Mar 15, 2004

I am glad to see I am still getting all of these positive replies after this thread has been up for so long. Thanks to all.