In this episode I answer 3 questions from the hospice nurse support group on facebook. The first question has to do with giving liquid morphine every 6 hours scheduled and PRN morphine every 3 hours PRN.The second question involves using Tramadol for pain management.The third question has to do with elevated vital signs for actively dying patients. ==============================As always, don’t forget to call, text or email to leave feedback! I would love to hear from you!816-834-9...
In this episode I explore 11 things I learned from my 30 year friendship with Chuck Schroeder. Chuck Schroeder went to be with Jesus on March 21st 2024. He was a monumental figure in my life. After speaking at his Celebration of Life service, I decided to do a podcast episode sharing what I learned from him.In this episode I explore the following lessons I learned from Chuck.Plan your work. Work your plan.Never give up on someoneDon’t be afraid to help your teamMeet you team’s emot...
In this episode I am privileged to interview Barbara Karnes, RN.Barbara is an award winning end of life educator, award wining nurse, NHPCO Winner 2018 & 2015 International Humanitarian Woman of the Year.Yeah, she’s a big deal, and she took time out of her busy schedule to spend some time on the show.To start out the episode, Barbara tells us the story of how she first entered hospice as a volunteer even though she was an RN.She shares with us the origen story of “The Blue Book” also know...
In this episode I discuss the three-legged stool that makes up a hospice agency.The three legs are Sales, Operations and Clinical. If either of these legs is having problems, the stool is at risk to fall down.I recently had a listener ask me to discuss the differences between office staff and field staff. She asked the following question.I am wondering if you have already completed a podcast on the differences between what management does in the office compared to what field nurses do, and ho...
For this episode I decided to share a recent interview I did for the Nurse Keith podcast.It was a great time to share with Keith’s audience some of my observations from the world of hospice. I believe this was a great opportunity to share hospice with a whole new audience.Take a minute to visit Keith’s web site, and throw some support his way!https://nursekeith.com/==============================As always, don’t forget to call, text or email to leave feedback! I would love to hear from you!816...
In this episode I answer a listener email question regarding death visits.No two death visits are alike, so in this episode I try to cover some of the basics. I cover some of the following topics.Call the funeral home as quickly as possibleIt’s not about youDon’t always be in a hurry to interject yourselfBe sensitive to other culturesTo stay or not to stayPost mortem careClothigThen I finish the episode telling several stories from my own experiences and some of the things I did well, an...
In this episode I answer the following question from a listener.Hi, any chance of getting a podcast on Service Failures? I've been in hospice for around two years. I hear the term thrown around, but can't quite grasp all the details. I don't see any podcasts or blog posts around this subject, but I suspect the knowledge would be quite valuable.Thanks,JadeI answer Jade’s question in two parts. I start by addressing Medicare’s Conditions of Participation for all hospice provid...
In this episode I focus on the top 6 concepts I believe are essential to promoting the growth of a hospice office.Ultimately, the administrator is responsible for creating an environment for success. Any administrator who wants to blame others for lack of success, is an administrator nobody wants to follow.Here is the list of items I focus on during this episode.Foster healthy relationships between sales and clinicalTake ownership of the branchCreate a consistent and repeatable experienceLove...
In this episode I review my strategies when I have family members who are afraid to tell their loved one that hospice is being consulted for care.I spend some time helping you understand the real difference between patients who can understand what they are being signed up for versus patients who are confused and can’t understand the decisions being made for them.I talk about using my Clinical Data Sheet during conversation and assessment to gather information and ask questions.I offer access ...
Welcome to 2024!For today’s episode I decided to present you with 3 things I feel like every hospice nurse needs to find success and peace of mind!In this episode I review the importance of making sure we pull into our driveways at the end of the day with all of our work completed.I point out the importance of making sure all of our charting is done at the bedside. I review some of the differences between a visit nurse and case manager.My second point focuses on the importance of establishing...
This episode is all about leadership.Everyone in hospice is a leader, and being a leader is completely different than being a boss. In this episode I provide some practical advice to help make sure we never lose our perspective on what our nurses go through every day. I encourage administrators and clinical directors to do ride alongs with a field nurse at least twice a year. I spend quite a bit of time talking about avoiding spending a lot of time trying to place blame for agency f...
In this episode I perform (if you want to call it that) dramatic readings of 11 posts from my blog.You can view and read the blog posts from the following links.The Last BathThe Last PrayerHospice Is Like Haircuts?Be Like Aunt JoyceMy Friends Keep DyingA Night at the ParkThe Last KissThe GuardianI Remember AngieWhatever You Say, JamesIt’s Okay To Die On Thanksgiving==============================As always, don’t forget to call, text or email to leave feedback! I would love to hear from you!816...
For this episode I take one of my coaching sessions from inside The Hospice Nursing Community and bring it to the show.This is something I have ever done before. In general, I like to make sure content inside of The Hospice Nursing Community is unique and cannot be found anywhere else.In this episode, I review 8 different characteristics that I believe are essential for a successful case manager to possess.ReliabilityThe agency and its patients will suffer if they have a case manager who call...
In this episode I answer the following question from May. May has been charged with a hospice startup.“I always strive to maintain the values of empathy and fairness, and I am committed to being an unwavering advocate for our team and our patients. Currently, we've encountered challenges with documentation using Matrix Care. The process has proven to be time-consuming, and I am reaching out to see if you have insight on how to optimize the documentation procedures. I would greatly appreciate ...
In this episode I step aside from clinical talk, and revisit a phone call I had with listener Chauncey.Last week I had a great conversation with Chauncey. We discussed the challenges a new marketer can face when working a territory for the first time.In this episode I discuss the difference between referral sources that provide a lot of referrals versus the ones that only provide a few or have never provided a referral. I call these crock pot referral sources and microwave referral sources.Du...
In this episode I answer the following question sent to me by Pamela.“Any interest in a show that highlights weekend/evening staff. The challenge I face is communication. If staff do not add thorough notes, email/call me, or otherwise give report, It really makes my job a struggle! Also, remembering we are part of team. I am blessed with a great team, but can see where this position could be undervalued. I personally love being weekend on call! It is like semi retirement. Feel free to reach o...
In this episode I answer a question from Gina.In a recent email from Gina, she asks the following question.“One topic I would love for you to cover is that of high case loads - and what you consider that number to be, what number is considered ideal for excellent, superior care and how to manage/re-work your visit frequencies when those loads are high.” During this episode I do cover what I consider to be a normal caseload. I explain that our caseload should really be measured by how man...
In this episode I review the 3 large projects I completed in my first 4 months as administrator.I share the challenges most agencies face when it comes to tracking room and board charges for LTC patients.I review the extensive orientation program I implemented to make sure all new staff get a solid and predictable onboarding experience.The third project I completed was a revamp of our referral and admission process that ended in a 90 minute training session with the entire organization.During...
In this episode I welcome back Shelley Henry from Amity Group to discuss the “Your Opinion Matters” hospice nurse survey she conducted last winter.During the episode Shelley shares with us the 3 biggest takeaways she got from doing the survey.Redundant DocumentationNurse-to-patient RatiosCompensationShelly shares some of her discoveries surrounding redundant documentation that adds almost an entire day to the week.Shelly also shares with us her tour schedule for October 2023 that covers the n...
In this episode I explore the frequent, maybe even normal, conflict that can arise between sales and clinical.I review what I believe the clinical team needs to do to be more accommodating and show the sales team we are serious about growth.I also review some things that the sales team can do to help lessen some of the stress they can inadvertently place on the clinical team.I review the fact that our patients can, at times, misrepresent what the sales team has said or promised to them. The s...