What does a LPN hospice nurse do?

[idasavealife]

I was told RN's do most of the work with hospice care. I am an LPN and I see positions at a Hospice agency. I'm curious what an LPN would do if this is the case. Please share.

[caliotter3]

You can do a continuous care shift. Basically, you go to the home and provide care for a shift, like you would for an extended care patient. It could be nothing more than sitting with the patient, assessing the need for the available meds from the "kit" and providing teaching and support to the family. If the patient passes on your shift, you make the notifications. You may do terminal care or be told that the on-call hospice RN will do that when s/he takes over when they arrive. If the patient is not in a "continuous care" status, you would follow the instructions given for your visit. I have met home health aides who visited a "continuous care" hospice patient to provide companionship for a set number of hours.

[psychedelica]

Routine visits, subsequent day visits following admission, vigil care, tuck-ins, etc, etc. There are a multitude of different things and LPN can do, dependent on your company policy.

[Shutupokthx]

Hi. I am a chpln since 2009. I have been in hospice over 15 years. I work for a hospice connected to a hospital. I make follow up visits on Fridays, take hospice phones from 8am to 7pm every Sat and Sun, work on schedule for Monday, make after hours visits including attend deaths and do hospice Eobs over the weekend. I have consents signed, call md to verify hospice dx, order the meds, call for transport and Dme notify hospitalist and Case manager etc.

[spiritual_RN22]

I currently work at a 10 bed Hospice nursing facility as an RN. My team consists of myself, an RPN (required if more than 7 beds are filled), and a PSW (personal support work). On a typical day, I will be in charge of one end of the building (5 beds) while the RPN is in charge of the other 5 beds. The RPN and RN typical have the same role (administer medications, complete assessments, procedures, counseling and teaching).

The RN as well as the RPN are allowed to pronounce deaths get in contact with families, doctors, and funeral home.