VNA & Hospice

As one might imagine, it takes a special kind of person to be successful and feel fulfilled as a hospice nurse. You’re a nurse because you care about people. You want to relieve their suffering and help them heal. Offering hope is a natural response.

In hospice care, the nurse’s desire to heal is no longer at issue or even part of the job. When a patient has qualified for hospice care, it’s because they’re within the last six months of a terminal illness. Treatment for the purposes of prolonging life stops. Instead of healing, a hospice nurse provides comfort and works to maintain quality of life for the patient.

If you can make that switch in thinking, hospice nursing might be a good option.

Because the end result of every patient interaction is death, it takes a compassionate and courageous individual to thrive in the hospice environment. If you can live in the moment with your patient and help them navigate their physical and emotional responses to their impending death, you stand a good chance of succeeding as a hospice nurse.

In addition to the emotional support you’ll provide for both the patient and their family members, you’ll be following individual plans for each patient’s needs. There will always be the basic medical steps to take, like managing pain, checking blood pressure and other vital signs, and administering medication. Since you’ll be part of a team, clear communication and thorough notes are critical.

Many hospice nurses provide care at the patient’s home, and they are especially important when there appears to be a crisis. Family members might define crisis differently, but generally a crisis is indicated when there is severe pain, respiratory distress, extreme agitation, seizures, or if the patient is in the actual phase of dying. In times of a crisis, the nurse is required to remain in the home until the crisis is past.

Hospice nurses require many of the same skills as nurses in other specializations. They need to be compassionate, sympathetic, patient, and calm under pressure. In addition, they need to be good listeners. Whether they’re listening to the family or the patient, they’ll hear pain, tragedy, fear, and uncertainty in their voices and it’s the nurses job to help them come to terms with the situation.

If you think hospice nursing is for you, consider which of the most common environments would suit you best. 

• In general, hospice patients want to be where they’re most comfortable, and if there is family in the home for support, a hospice nurse will come into the home to provide care.
• Sometimes, a patient is admitted to the hospital for a specific medical difficulty but is then recommended for hospice care. If the hospital has a hospice section, they patient is often moved, especially if the patient lives alone.
• Often older patients that are already in a nursing home are diagnosed and recommended for hospice care. In that case, the hospice nurse visits the facility to tend to however many patients in the nursing home are assigned by the hospice agency.
• More and more there are stand-alone hospice facilities serving those end-of-life patients who can no longer live at home or who require round-the-clock care.

Depending on your lifestyle preference, working at the same hospice facility every day might be an advantage. For others, being on the road and seeing different patients in their homes or nursing homes is more appealing.

In the end, if you’re the type of person who celebrates life and can accept death as part of it, hospice nursing might be for you.

VNA & Hospice is an equal opportunity employer. There are many ways to become a part of our team. Visit our Career Opportunities to find a position that is right for you.

Can a spouse help their significant other go through hospice care?Absolutely. Plenty of research has shown that happily married couples have better health than their unhappy counterparts. This can certainly extend to couples in hospice care as spouses with a strong relationship can better weather the ups and downs of the end of a person’s lifespan.

This blog post will not only discuss research done at the University of Missouri, but it will reveal three reasons why a husband or wife can help their partner going through hospice care.

According to researchers affiliated with the University of Missouri, couples in happy marriages are shown to have better physical and mental health than people who are widowed or divorced.

While the research didn’t study couples in hospice care specifically, it can certainly affect people in this trying stage of their marriage. This is because happy couples who are emotionally stable are much better equipped to handle one half’s terminal illness. 

Obviously, a spouse being placed in hospice care is not a happy occasion for either the couple, their family or friends. The emotions of the patient, their spouse, children and friends are certain to be all over the spectrum. This situation will be hard for even the happiest couples. However, couples who have made an art of staying together through thick times and thin have the mental, physical and emotional equipment needed to weather this period in their lives. Simply put, happy couples are better able to navigate what is sure to be a tricky, confusing, and downright maddening experience.

1. The Importance of Loved OnesAs a hospice patient nears the end of their life, many of them want to spend as much time as possible with their spouse, family and closest friends. Spending time at home with the people who are closest to them can do a lot to soothe patients who are making peace with their lives. Whether your spouse is spending precious moments with their grandchildren, discussing their friends’ latest vacation with them, or talking about the weather with you, it’s important to make this seminal period free of drama but full of meaning and love at the same time.
2. Self ReflectionAll patients in hospice care are going to spend ample time in self reflection. Whether your spouse will want to share this all-important task with you and their loved ones, or do it on their own through journaling or other means, ensure that you do everything you can to let them go through this emotionally fraught experience without guilt or shame.
3. Care in a Loving EnvironmentWhen your spouse is in hospice care, it is often necessary that they will have to receive care from unfamiliar nurses and aides in your home. In this trying time, many hospice patients may get frustrated with having strangers in their home when all they want is to be around the people that they love. Our nurses, aides and physicians are sensitive to the needs of their patients, and they are more than willing to work around the schedule and personal desires of you and your spouse.

   Remember the research that said that happy couples are healthier? Even if your spouse isn’t in robust health, a happy and healthy relationship can make what is often a terrifying, emotional rollercoaster much more palatable to both parties. While the research has proven that happy couples thrive in health, they can also prosper in sickness.

There are plenty of benefits to involving a husband or wife in their partner’s hospice care. From providing love and support every step of the way to allowing their spouse to say their piece in the way they see fit, a spouse can be the person who makes this stage of the hospice patient’s life packed with meaning and love.

VNA & Hospice is dedicated to providing the highest quality healthcare to residents of the Central Coast and Monterey County. Registered nurses and skilled staff members provide many services, including senior home care, hospice health care, palliative care, orthopedic rehabilitation, and more.

The Zika Virus has been a real concern for those who live in or travel to areas where lots of mosquitoes are present. While it hasn’t been widely spread throughout the United States yet, there are still some important steps to take to protect oneself and their family from contracting the virus. When traveling to countries where the virus is prevalent, one must be extra cautious to avoid infection. It’s also important to understand some basics about the virus and exactly how the it spreads to ensure that proper precautions are taken.

The Zika virus wasn’t a concern until recent years and most people had never heard of it before. It’s spread mostly from the bite of a certain species of mosquito, the Aedes, which bites during the day and night. The virus can also be spread by men through unprotected sex. The virus can cause serious birth defects in children born to mothers infected with the virus. It can also be very serious for those with weak immune systems like young children and seniors. As of right now, there are no treatments or vaccinations for Zika. It has recently been found in a certain area of Miami but is mostly concentrated in Central and South America.

To prevent the virus, it’s most important for pregnant women to avoid going to infected areas if at all possible. When traveling in areas where Zika is common, you should wear long sleeve shirts and long pants to protect the extremities. Clothing should be light colored, which will not only help you see any mosquitoes that may land on you, but can also help keep you cool in these warmer climates. Always carry a quality bug spray and use it often, as directed. For children, be sure to apply the spray regularly. When using spray with young children, don’t spray anywhere near the mouth, nose or eyes, and don’t use these sprays with children under 2 months of age. Always apply your insect repellent over sunscreen if you’re using both.

If you are camping, sleeping outside or visiting one of the areas where Zika is present, you should always use a mosquito net. These are affordable and easy to carry with you. They help to surround you at night for added protection. Keep windows closed when possible and use screens when windows are open. When you return home after traveling to an infected area, you should closely monitor your health for any symptoms such as fever, rash, joint pain or red eyes. Many people who contract the virus will have very mild symptoms or none at all. It’s important that you talk with your doctor about the virus as it can be spread from an infected person to other mosquitoes and then other people. The test for Zika is a simple blood or urine test. 

If you live in an area where Zika has been found, you can do some things around the home to deter mosquitoes from nesting and staying near your house. Remove any planters, pots or other things that provide standing water for mosquitoes to lay their eggs. If you have a large container that can’t be removed, and won’t be used for drinking, you can treat it with an product designed to prevent the hatching of mosquito eggs. If you see mosquitoes near your house, a spray designed for outdoors will kill many of them. There are also plants that deter mosquitoes that you can plant in your yard if you prefer a non-chemical solution.

Staying cautious can help you avoid the Zika virus. The best way is to simply not travel to infected areas. This is especially true for women who are currently pregnant or are trying to get pregnant in the near future. If you must travel to these areas, take the previously mentioned steps to protect yourself and avoid bringing the virus back to areas that weren’t previously dealing with a Zika problem.

VNA & Hospice is dedicated to providing the highest quality healthcare to residents of the Central Coast and Monterey County. Registered nurses and skilled staff members provide many services, including senior home care, hospice health care, palliative care, orthopedic rehabilitation, and more.

Summer is certainly an enjoyable season, but the hot weather and bright sunshine pose some serious health challenges. Here are some tips to help you stay healthy this summer. 

Heat-related deaths are a major concern during the summer. Plan ahead to stay cool before the dog day’s of summer begin. If you like to exercise outdoors, try working out in the early morning or early evening, when the sun’s rays are less intense. You might also consider finding a climate controlled environment for your walk. Some walking groups meet at shopping malls. At the mall, you can stay active while window shopping. During a heat wave, you should take extra precautions. If you do not have an air conditioning unit, you could check to see if your community offers a cooling center. Some local organizations will also provide fans to help beat the heat. During periods of excessive heat, make sure you check on relatives and friends to make sure they fine. You should also learn the warning signs of heat stroke or heat exhaustion. These include:

• Headache
• High Fever 
• Unusual mood or behavior 
• Nausea and vomiting 
• Excessive sweating 
• Elevated heart rate
• Panting 
• Flushed skin 

If you or a loved one shows sign of heat stroke, seek medical attention immediately.

This tip is important. Sunscreen, applied correctly and regularly, helps protect you from the sun’s bright rays. Even one blistering sunburn can increase your risks for certain kinds of skin cancers, so make sure you apply sunscreen every day. A person can get a sunburn even on a cloudy day, so it is crucial that you make sunscreen use a daily habit.

If it is just too hot for most outdoor exercises, why not visit your local pool? Swimming is an activity that can be enjoyed at any age and any fitness level. Many community pools also offer fitness classes, or you can choose to swim laps on your own. Swimming and water aerobics are enjoyable activities that can also be very beneficial to your overall health. Many people find that regular swimming helps with joint soreness and can even help increase their mobility.

Although it can be tempting to stay cool by eating delicious ice cream, there are healthier choices if you are concerned about calories. A bowl of fruit is a guilt-free indulgence. Frozen juice bars are another acceptable option, as long as you select a kind that is made with real fruit juice and no additional sugar. If you just cannot ignore your ice cream craving, however, try frozen yogurt.

During the hot summer months, hydration is crucial. However, you should avoid sugary sodas or other calorie-dense drinks. You can avoid consuming extra empty calories by making easy substitutions. For example, instead of soda, you might try calorie-free seltzer water. Some brands do contain sodium, so make sure you read the labels carefully if you need to avoid consuming much salt. Sweet iced tea is certainly tasty, but it often contains high amounts of sugar. You can better control how much sugar you are ingesting by ordering unsweetened tea and adding your own sweetener. Over time, you might even come to prefer the taste of the unsweetened version.

In the summer, fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables are abundant and packed with vitamins and minerals. Enjoy them while they are at the peak of ripeness. A walk around the farmer’s market can be a wonderful way to ensure that you are getting enough activity and eating well.

VNA & Hospice is dedicated to providing the highest quality healthcare to residents of the Central Coast and Monterey County. Registered nurses and skilled staff members provide many services, including senior home care, hospice health care, palliative care, orthopedic rehabilitation, and more.