Nursing

The nurse plays a pivotal role in the care provided by the hospice team. The nurse serves as a case manager and is specially trained in hospice palliative care. The nurse visits the patient at often as needed according to the plan of care and maintains frequent telephone contact with the patient and family. The nurse communicates closely with the attending physician, acting as a liaison to ensure the patient has the proper medications and orders for quality care. The nurse communicates with other hospice team members to ensure all persons are kept abreast of the patient’s status and needs.

The nurse’s primary focus is on the patient’s physical condition and comfort. Managing pain and other symptoms of the patient’s illness requires skilled nursing assessments and continued observation of the patient, as well as immediate implementation of changes in the plan of care. The goal of the hospice nurse is to eliminate or alleviate symptoms, thus allowing the patient to maintain his or her quality of life.

Educating family members is another focus of the hospice nurse. This includes a multitude of issues, including caring for catheters and IV lines, monitoring medication schedules, and performing simple dressing changes. The nurse also instructs and prepares the family for the disease progression and on the proper techniques for patient care.

Another important responsibility of the hospice nurse is providing emergency on-call coverage. Often the family’s questions can be answered by telephone, but if necessary, a home visit will be made. A nurse is always accessible by telephone 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, even on holidays.