I’m back from a 6 month break from producing the show!

In this episode I explain why I chose not to record any episodes in the last 6 months. I then review some of the things I learned during a massive growth spurt at my agency.

I review the importance of self care, and I share some of my own personal health issues this year.

I share what I learned about the importance of an orientation program. 

I explain the importance of hospice leadership being willing to get out into the field and help during times of crisis.

Finally, at the end of the show, I explain that everyone has physical and mental limitations and how I am no exception.

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As always, don’t forget to call, text or email to leave feedback! I would love to hear from you!

816-834-9191
[email protected]
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Be sure to check out thehospicenursingcommunity.com for extra content as well as hope, help and encouragement from other hospice nurses just like you!

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.

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As always, don’t forget to call, text or email to leave feedback! I would love to hear from you!

816-834-9191
[email protected]
==============================
Be sure to check out thehospicenursingcommunity.com for extra content as well as hope, help and encouragement from other hospice nurses just like you!

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.

1. Plan your work. Work your plan.
2. Never give up on someone
3. Don’t be afraid to help your team
4. Meet you team’s emotional needs first
5. Nothing (in business) is fatal
6. Don’t make decisions out of fear
7. Make decisions that reflect YOUR character
8. Say what you mean. Mean what you say.
9. You’re never too old to learn or get better
10. If you’re not growing, you’re dying
11. I ultimately don’t answer to man

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As always, don’t forget to call, text or email to leave feedback! I would love to hear from you!

816-834-9191
[email protected]
==============================
Be sure to check out thehospicenursingcommunity.com for extra content as well as hope, help and encouragement from other hospice nurses just like you!

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 known as “Gone From My Sight.”

Barbara also introduces us to her new booklet, “Always Offer, Never Force: Food at the End of Life.” She explained how this booklet is the result of her own experience with the loss of her husband recently.

We discuss why death is actually not a medical event, and we talk about pain at the end of life.
 
 Finally, Barbara give us some self care tips that include ways of having closure with the loss of our patients.

Please be sure to check out her website at BKBooks.com to pick up your own copies of all her booklets.

Be sure to follow Barbara Karnes on your favorite social media platform.

Instagram

Pinterest

Facebook

LinkedIn

Twitter

YouTube

==============================
As always, don’t forget to call, text or email to leave feedback! I would love to hear from you!

816-834-9191
[email protected]
==============================
Be sure to check out thehospicenursingcommunity.com for extra content as well as hope, help and encouragement from other hospice nurses just like you!

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.

In this episode I explain how Operations really drives the culture of the agency. It is Operations that provides a positive or negative environment for everyone to function within.

I also explain how poor leadership can really affect the moral of the organization.

==============================
As always, don’t forget to call, text or email to leave feedback! I would love to hear from you!

816-834-9191
[email protected]
==============================
Be sure to check out thehospicenursingcommunity.com for extra content as well as hope, help and encouragement from other hospice nurses just like you!

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!

816-834-9191
[email protected]
==============================
Be sure to check out thehospicenursingcommunity.com for extra content as well as hope, help and encouragement from other hospice nurses just like you!

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.

1. Call the funeral home as quickly as possible
2. It’s not about you
3. Don’t always be in a hurry to interject yourself
4. Be sensitive to other cultures
5. To stay or not to stay
6. Post mortem care
7. Clothig

Then I finish the episode telling several stories from my own experiences and some of the things I did well, and some of the things I didn’t do so well.

==============================
As always, don’t forget to call, text or email to leave feedback! I would love to hear from you!

816-834-9191
[email protected]
==============================
Be sure to check out thehospicenursingcommunity.com for extra content as well as hope, help and encouragement from other hospice nurses just like you!

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,

Jade

I answer Jade’s question in two parts. I start by addressing Medicare’s Conditions of Participation for all hospice providers. For the second half I address service failures in general and how they relate to each hospice provider’s philosophy of care.

The Medicare COPs I review are the following.

1. Election of hospice benefit
2. The IDG/IDT
3. Admissions
4. Discharge Types
5. Face-to-face requirements
6. Individualized care plans
7. 24 Hour Nursing Services
8. The 4 Levels of Care

For agency philosophy we review the following areas that could result in service failures.

1. Visit frequencies
2. Medication Refills
3. Supplies
4. Calling 911
5. Patient dies in discomfort
6. On-Call
7. Anything that the patient perceives as a failure

I also promise to provide the NHPCO overview of the Medicare Conditions of Participation. You can download the COPs HERE.

==============================
As always, don’t forget to call, text or email to leave feedback! I would love to hear from you!

816-834-9191
[email protected]
==============================
Be sure to check out thehospicenursingcommunity.com for extra content as well as hope, help and encouragement from other hospice nurses just like you!

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.

1. Foster healthy relationships between sales and clinical
2. Take ownership of the branch
3. Create a consistent and repeatable experience
4. Love your team
5. Develop your clinical director
6. Be visible

These items are what I find to be the most powerful for creating a successful environment. Still, there are other ways to grow a branch.

This episode is about the administrator taking responsibility for the success of their branch. It starts and ends with the administrator.

==============================
As always, don’t forget to call, text or email to leave feedback! I would love to hear from you!

816-834-9191
[email protected]
==============================
Be sure to check out thehospicenursingcommunity.com for extra content as well as hope, help and encouragement from other hospice nurses just like you!

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 to my show outline for easy reference. You can download the PDF version by clicking HERE.

I also spend some time explaining how to adjust your conversation to find out what kind of experience (if any) your patient or caregivers have with hospice.

==============================
As always, don’t forget to call, text or email to leave feedback! I would love to hear from you!

816-834-9191
[email protected]
==============================
Be sure to check out thehospicenursingcommunity.com for extra content as well as hope, help and encouragement from other hospice nurses just like you!