More irritations from the night from hell on call. I called in an order for a patient to the local Walgreen’s pharmacy. We contract with them for after hours pharmacy supply. The order I received was: Ativan 0.5mg – 1mg every 4-6 hours as needed Easy enough, yes? The Pharmacist says “Which is it? 0.5mg or 1mg?” I say, “Either – – the doc wants the patient to have the option of both, if needed” Pharmacist: “Well you can only do one or the other — the med comes in 1mg tabs. So I can either fill it with 1mg […]

Let’s see…it’s 7:19 a.m. as I start writing this. I was on call for work Sunday, starting at 8am and I’m on call for another 41 minutes. I just walked in the door from a call that came in at 4:30 a.m. this morning from a patient who lives out in the middle of absolutely nowhere – – in a winter weather advisory with freezing rain and horrible visibility. I left the house at 4:30 a.m., but only after I had gotten home from a call I needed to go out on at 1:30 a.m. I had just stripped off […]

Let’s just say . . . . You’re taking care of a patient who is dying of lung cancer. She’s a young 45 – strong willed, confident in herself, her beliefs and her ideas. She knows who she is and what she’s about – and she really has no regrets in life. She has settled herself into her own fate and is spending her time enjoying every minute with her family and friends. You’re her nurse – – or caregiver, or doctor or counselor, it doesn’t matter which. You’re having a heart to heart with her about her spiritual beliefs […]

I was in the office today – doing an Advanced Pain Management training class for a few of the new nurses. We were taking a break when Nancy, our Administrator, came in and said, “Lisa, George is here and he wants to see you.” George of George & Ann. Some patients just get underneath your skin, crawl in there and burrow themselves in and make themselves a home in your heart. I started seeing Ann this past June when I was still in the role of RN Case Manager. She had been diagnosed with Lung Cancer two months prior. They […]

So, I took this new promotion two months ago. So far, it’s been going ok. My official title is “Patient Care Coordinator” which really amounts to the assistant to the Director of Nursing — which really amounts to doing everything she doesn’t want to do. Ok. I’m good with that. My boss and I have different styles. She has no backbone. I do. She’s scared everyone will dislike her. I’m not. She’s held hostage by the fear that everyone will quit. I’m not. She wants to please everyone, all the time. I don’t. She describes it as me being very […]

Let me just say – without going into too much detail, when I’m at work and interacting with my peers and colleagues . . there are certain types of people that I enjoy being around. I enjoy people who are motivated. People who enjoy what they do. People who have ideas and are passionate about their work, and proud of it. So proud of it that they pour tons of effort and really dig in to make the job the best it can be. People who take initiative. People who look at change as a challenge. These are the kinds […]

Earlier, I blogged about why people look at hospice nurses as “Kevorkian’s minions’ – and then I read this: Nurse Is Charged With Murder SOMERVILLE, N.J. (AP) – A former nurse has been charged with murder after claiming to kill 30 to 40 patients over a 16-year period, prosecutors said Monday. During a court appearance, Charles Cullen stood and told the judge, “I am going to plead guilty. I don’t plan to fight this.” He said he did not want a lawyer. I guess stories like that go a long way in forming public opinion about us. No matter how […]

I once blogged about assisted suicide. It wasn’t a post about the ethics of it. I didn’t argue the legalities of it. I didn’t blog the pros or cons of it. I didn’t write about it to either condemn, nor justify it. It was simply about a young, dying patient and an hour that I spent with him. I’m a hospice nurse and the number one question, above all others, that I hear is not about pain management. It’s not about what happens when you die. It’s not about the ‘white light’ theory – – nor is it about funeral […]

I’m on call today. This job is fulfilling…satisfying. People often ask me, “How do you do it?”. I just do. Sometimes, however – – I can do a patient visit that lasts for an hour, but because of the high emotional dynamics – – I can come away from that visit feeling like I just worked 40 straight hours and badly need a nap. Today – I had one of those visits. 38 year old female patient with breast cancer that has spread to her brain. Two weeks ago, she told me, she was taking her kids to and from […]

So, I walk into the building where I’m to give this class. I’m a little early – so I stop and ask one of the nurses which room the presentation will be held? She didn’t know – – hadn’t even heard that there was a class to be given today. Odd, thought I. I was under the impression that this class was mandatory for all nurses, physical and occupational therapists? Hmm. I finally find the room and start to assemble my materials. I have handouts for everyone – and a brief outline that I made for myself to follow, to […]