Comments on Hospice Blog: How to choose a hospice: Why staffing matters

This is a response, not only to "staffing matters,...

2006-10-27T08:27:00.000-07:00

This is a response, not only to "staffing matters," but also to "size matters." The two are related. My father is enrolled in a large, community-based, nonprofit hospice (current patient census is around 450). Because the hospice is large, they can afford a complete hospice team that makes visits on a regular basis. The RN visits once or twice a week, depending on my father's needs. She

I am a hospice RN, have been for 5 years. I disagr...

2006-10-24T07:14:00.000-07:00

I am a hospice RN, have been for 5 years. I disagree that only one nurse should see each patient. First, it is better for the patient and the team to have more than one nurse's input. Secondly, if one nurse goes on vacation or leaves the agency, there is a continuity of care with the other nurse already knowing the patient and family. Families get extremely attached to their nurse(s), and I have

exflygrl, sorry for your loss, could you not fire ...

2006-10-11T15:46:00.000-07:00

exflygrl, sorry for your loss, could you not fire Vitas and receive another hospice instead?

I had the unfortunate experience of having Vitas H...

2006-08-26T20:21:00.000-07:00

I had the unfortunate experience of having Vitas Hospice of Fort Lauderdale provide care for my elderly parent. The indifference shown by most of the the LPN's and CNA's was appalling. The Vitas doctor personally saw his patient only once in ten months, and was kept up to date by phone.

One hand didn't seem to know what the other hand was doing. Most of the time the staff did

I have to agree with HospiceGuy on this one...when...

2006-08-01T12:07:00.000-07:00

I have to agree with HospiceGuy on this one...when you see a physician, do you appreciate seeing one in a group that rotates the doc you see? Probably not, I know I wouldn't...I want the doc to KNOW and remember me...so that her/his focus can be on comparison and changes, instead of just getting to know me or "refreshing" his/her memory. Using the same nurse all the time gives patients

Our hospice uses both LPN's and RN's. Visits are ...

2006-01-03T04:39:00.000-08:00

Our hospice uses both LPN's and RN's. Visits are rotated between the RN and LPN. An LPN can provide just as good of care as an RN. We have a VERY high turnover for RN's (usually last 6 to 10 months). LPN's, however, seem to not mind the long hours. I've been in the field for almost 6 years as an LPN. I KNOW I provide quality, loving care for each of my patients.

tunnel vision is a terrible thing/ that combined ...

2005-12-07T13:32:00.000-08:00

tunnel vision is a terrible thing/ that combined with stereotyping can create a person living in their own narrow world...

I do agree that it is very important for a regular...

2005-10-11T18:08:00.000-07:00

I do agree that it is very important for a regular nurse to visit each week. I think that when there are two different nurses visiting there are two bonds developed with both the patient and family. Each nurse will see something a bit differently and when the nurses collaborate about the patient they are both able to bring more information to light than just one will. Also when conferring with

The point is not that LPN's are not as good as RN'...

2005-08-06T04:25:00.000-07:00

The point is not that LPN's are not as good as RN's. The point is that continuity of care is difficult to preserve when more than one person is routinely visiting. Even with top notch communication skills, there will be things that are missed because what is so small a change as to be un-noteworthy at one visit, may become the harbinger of disaster at the next.

I very much resent your opinions that consistent n...

2005-07-31T10:57:00.000-07:00

I very much resent your opinions that consistent nursing visits should be made by RN's. I am an LPN and very very good at what I do. I can guarantee you that my patients get just as good of care from me, if not better, than they do from the RN's.