What makes you love hospice?

[Jo Dirt]

I'm feeling really stressed out at my home health job. Part of it is the endless driving (over 10,000 miles in a few months), part of it is the hectic office atmosphere when I am there, part of it is the ingrateful patients/families who act like you are imposing when you come out to do your job, part of it is being expected to be "creative" and find ways to milk every drop we can from Medicaid/Medicare, being expected to go out and do procedures I am not comfortable with, running like a chicken with its head cut off...I'm just tired and burned out.

I wonder how different hospice is from home health? I would like less pressure and a more laid back atmosphere. I thought this would be the case in home health, maybe it is just the agency I work for, I don't know.

What are the visits like? How often do you visit?

Do you have to go out in the middle of the night a lot?

Are you expected to come pronounce the patient when they die?

[RNDYN2CU]

Doodlemom, you can call me Randy any day of the week!!!

[mcdonaldgirl]

why do i love hospice? it is the caring for others during their last days/weeks and knowing i made a difference. oh, yeah; sometimes families are hit hard, but i have the satisfaction of knowing i made a difference.

'mac'

[mc3, ASN, RN]

In FL, LPN's can pronounce when they work for Hospice only. What I love? My patients...the independence some of the others have already mentioned. The opportunity to do "real" nursing. The spiritual component of our work....What I don't like? The fear of "hospice"....Families and facilities who want us for the extra care/services we provide, but want to micromanage care and/or ignore our recommendations....ALF and SNIF staffers who resent us....MD's who are afraid to prescribe pain meds for their patients...hospice MD's who are afraid to prescribe pain meds for their patients....some of the politics and/or fiscal reasons that may direct our care.

Boy, this could be a really long thread...

[Demonsthenes]

One reason why I believe that I am especially suited for hospice is that I served as a squad leader in the infantry in the Viet Nam War. I was faced with the prospect of death each day for about a year. I was surrounded by my fellow soldiers who also faced death every day. As a result of the same, I developed "defense" and "coping" mechanisms which the general public doesn't have. In Vietnam, I, also, had to counsel many of my squad members and others who faced death every day.

Most individuals don't think seriously about death until it approaches.

I "learned" to face death and to cope with it. I "learned" to help others cope with it.

In hospice, I feel uniquely qualified to help my hospice patients cope with the same also, because of the aforementioned.

I served with the U.S. Army;4th Inf. Div.;2/8th Inf.;Republic of Vietnam 1969-1970

[leslie :-D]

i can't even begin to understand the intensity of your job in vietnam.

God love you sir.

God love you.

leslie

[JB CC-RN]

Hospice is my career goal. I have felt a 'pull' toward this direction for quit sometime (from personal experience). I feel I need a little more experience under my belt to be able to do the job and pt. justice. I truly feel it is a great privelage for pt and families to allow you to be a part of such a personal part of their lives. I truly feel this is where I belong

[Elisheva]

RN dying to see you. ROFL

[FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I]

gee golly i sure hope our lvn's can pronunce death!!! or we is in a whole lotta trouble out here in southern california!!! yeah guys, it's legal. by the by, take a close look at my call letters, and read them like a license plate, it's cute that you all call me randy, but i'm a chick named leslie...(tee hee) see if any one gets my macabre play on letters...i'm dying to find out! (hint hint)

hi randy!:hehe:

[Sue Damonas, BSN]

My mother was a Hospice patient and I thought of our Hospice nurse as a lifeline. She was wonderful! That's what got me interested in Hospice. I had to wait a few years to get through my own loss but I feel a great deal of satisfaction in doing the same for others. I'm on call right now and was out several times tonight. The grateful looks and hugs from the family and helping the patient make the sleep deprivation all worth it. I worked in a hospital for 25 years and find that this is so much better.

[Sabby_NC]

love my hospice position and job very much.

you are welcomed warmly into other peoples homes at a time of such sadness in their lives.

what an honor it is to work so closely with them all in preparing them for the decline and death of this person.

ensuring the comfort and inner peace of these precious patients.

maintaining their goals of care and keeping one step ahead of their decline.

educating them in all aspects of hospice care.

the most important area is always having these people well educated so they know what to expect. does not take away their angst, sadness, hopelessness at the time of death but you have prepared them the best way you know how.

no other job i have had in my years of nursing gives me such autonomy as hospice nursing. :heartbeat

[shrinky]

WOW, in SC an RN cannot pronounce. We can assess death and call the coroner who does not come out but gets paid $50 for giving us a BRT#. So LPNs can pronounce in CA? Amazing how the nurse practice act varies from state to state. I am a transplant from the north and am still amazed that in 2008 there are still so many dirt roads here. Anyway, I digress. Our coroners are usually funeral home directors with the chief being elected by the people and she/he appointing deputy coroners. Been in Hospice 8 years and there are no normal days. Each is different and one busy day is usually balanced out with a slower day. Most of the families are appreciative of our help and some think that we starve our patients to death. The emotional toll is higher than HH but we work as a team and a family and support one another.:redbeathe

[GloryB]

Hi. First time doing this.... I'm a fairly new RN, graduated May 07. I wanted to do Hospice from the beginning of nursing school. Boy, did that get me some strange looks from other students. Anyway, I finally landed a hospice case manager position in June. It's been very rewarding but also trying at times. When I started with this fairly new company our census was about 22. We are now at 42! I've really had to fly by the seat of my pants at times, but our manager is great and very supportive even when I screw up.

The best part is finally having the time to actually spend with my patients and their families. I HATED the rush on the hospital floor where I spent my first year of nursing. Doing home visits is so much more satisfying, not to mention much easier on the body. No more 12 hour shifts on your feet!

I've always felt called to help people deal with issues at the end of life. Wierd, maybe. I've dealt with my own share of loss, so maybe that's where it all stems from. I love what I'm doing now, and wouldn't trade if for anything. We only have to take call one night a week, so that's not TOO bad. No weekends. The paperwork sucks. I would rather have a laptop.

I feel very blessed to get to do what I'm doing, and thankful for the manager that gave me a chance.