6 weeks and going strong

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Hello everyone. can you believe it, Ive been at this for over 6 weeks now. I do love it. There are times that I feel so overwhelmed. I work in a very small office and Im the only staff RN and I have a caseload of 9 but last week we lost 3 pts but I admitted 2. I cant get over how busy it is. I have not yet been there when the pt died and Im a bit anxious about it but I have everything wrote down step by step that needs to be done and I think I will do okay. Oh, I just got the symptom control algorithym hospice book that was recommended on this site and I love it, well, what Ive been able to read thus far. Just want to say thanks to everyone on this site for the encouragement and support you all offer, I really think that I have finally found my spot in nursing.:)

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Glad to hear that you are loving it. Its normal to feel overwhelmed at times. Thanks for letting us know how you are doing. :)

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Congrats, I'm glad it's going well for you. One word of advice would be to just treat the deceased and the family with respect and you will have little to worry about as far as specific stuff you have written down. These folks just need a little love, tenderness and caring at that particular time and you are just the one to give it to them. Good luck in your future learning experiences as they will be many and never ending. Andyg

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Hey Kel or anyone else who works hospice-I'll be starting w/hospice Feb 13th full-time as RN. I graduated May '05 and have been working med-surg on an extremely busy floor since graduation. I did well with med-surg but felt enough was enough. Learned lots and will be staying in med-surg position as prn (1 day/month), to keep foot in the door. Do you think I'll be able to do hospice w/my experience? I've felt the "calling" for hospice so many of you talk about. Tell me what you think please.

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Hey Kel or anyone else who works hospice-I'll be starting w/hospice Feb 13th full-time as RN. I graduated May '05 and have been working med-surg on an extremely busy floor since graduation. I did well with med-surg but felt enough was enough. Learned lots and will be staying in med-surg position as prn (1 day/month), to keep foot in the door. Do you think I'll be able to do hospice w/my experience? I've felt the "calling" for hospice so many of you talk about. Tell me what you think please.

I think you will do fine and your heart is in the right place. That's important. I would try to stay in orientation as long as it takes for you to feel comfortable.

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The calling part is definitely a big help. There is so much to learn and to think I was afraid I might be bored. There is never enough time to be bored. But, at the end of the day I always feel as if Ive done something to help someone and to me that is what nursing is all about. No wonder Ive never been satisfied with anything Ive done has a nurse, Ive been in the wrong place all this time!:nurse:

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Bored! Hah! No, I think you can rule out that as a possibility!

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Bored! Hah! No, I think you can rule out that as a possibility!

you know, today i read a couple of different posts inferring that hospice would be boring. my eyes just popped out of my head wondering 'what are they THINKING?':imbar

i think it's one of the specialties that could burn one out quite rapidly if your heart isn't into what you're doing.

leslie

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actually, after 5 years of being on call for a Hospice, there is a burn out factor, and that has to do not with ones heart not bing into it, but rather, being so deeply involved that your emotions become freyed, and torn..and you know that you are hurting, that is what makes Hospice nurses get out. to let their hearts heal......

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I always say that my greatest weakness ...caring too much is my greatest strength in Hospice....it is a catch 2 dilmena...when you quit caring it's time to get out...at the same time when you care too much it puts hardship and stress on you....it's a fine line to draw.

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