James worked on-and-off as an LPN for over 20 years. In 2014 he completed a bridge program and became an RN. James became a hospice nurse in January 2015. He lives in the Kansas City area with his wife of over 30 years, 4 daughters and 2 sons in law.
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 the show I mention the series I wrote on what to expect from your hospice nurse.
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 Documentation
Nurse-to-patient Ratios
Compensation
Shelly 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 national hospice conference in Little Rock, Arkansas as well as trips to Alabama and Boston.
Please be sure to follow Shelley on all her social media platforms. She uses the handle, “For Hospice Nurses,” for all her social media work.
The Hospice Nurse Your Opinion Matters Survey will return this fall starting in October. Be sure to check it out and share it with your hospice nurse friends!
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 same thing can happen when our patients or referral sources misrepresent what the clinical team has said or done.
In the end we are all a team, and we are all on the same side.
As always, don’t forget to call, text or email to leave feedback! I would love to hear from you!
In this episode I review some of the challenges we can face when caring for patients with a long history of substance abuse.
During the show I review the psychosocial reasons we will find ways to not admit people who need hospice.
I also discuss how we can easily complicate the qualifications for hospice when we interject our own feelings and fears into the situation.
At the end of the show I share the story of a heart failure patient with special needs, and how we adjusted our plan of care to make sure this patient got the care he needed.
As always, don’t forget to call, text or email to leave feedback! I would love to hear from you!
In this episode I explore the realization that, if we are honest, we all have feelings of insecurity and inadequacy.
Imposter syndrome is something that we all will face at times in our lives. We will especially face imposter syndrome when we are adventurous and are willing to take on new challenges.
In this episode I review many of the different ways we can experience imposter syndrome and why we might experience it.
I mention a recent article where I explain why hospice nurses are not trying to kill their patients. You can access that article HERE.
I also review a strategy on how to avoid imposter syndrome. Do you want a hint? You can’t avoid imposter syndrome if you are going to engage life!
It has been just about 30 years ago that my wife and I decided to start a family. Our oldest daughter just turned 25. If you do the math, you can figure out that things did not start out as we had planned.
We struggled greatly with infertility. Eventually, we decided to become foster parents with the goal of adoption.
Through many trials and tribulations, that I don’t have the time or space to fully explain, we eventually adopted 2 amazing daughters, and then had 2 (surprise) bio babies. Things did not happen the way we planned, but we would do it all a million times again to have the family we have now.
Mother’s Day reminds me as much about loss as it does anything else. During the 3 full years we tried to start a family the “natural” way, Mother’s Day became something we did not enjoy.
For some reason, that I can’t fully explain, infertility causes feelings of loss. With every passing month, our inability to become pregnant just started to hurt more. Eventually, we just couldn’t go to church on Mother’s Day. It was just a painful reminder that my wife just couldn’t be a mom. My aunt Joyce lost her son when he was just 17 years old, so she didn’t go to church on Mother’s Day either. It just hurt too much.
Now I do hospice for a living. On Mother’s Day I just can’t fully clear my mind of loss. I’ve just cared for too many moms over the years. I am painfully aware of all the families who have lost their moms, and will spend today in mourning wishing for just one more day with their mom.
For those families, please know that I am thinking of you today. My profession puts me right in the middle of watching sons and daughters lose their moms to unrelenting disease.
Today is not an easy day for those who have lost their mom. Most of you will spend the day with your own family in celebration, but deep down inside you are thinking of your own mom, and how you have to get through today without her.
May today be filled with God’s grace and mercy as you feel joy and sorrow. Joy with the family you started, and sorrow for the family you have lost.
In this episode I welcome veteran hospice nurse, Michelle Ery.
During the show, Michelle shares with us how she obsessed over her patients to the point that she started using substances to manage the anxiety and obsession.
Michelle shares with us what happened to her on Memorial Day of 2020, and how this event was the catalyst that ended up changing her life forever.
Michelle covers her experience in a thirty-day addiction treatment center. She shares with us how this experience effected her nursing license. She also details how her place of employment handled everything that happened.
At the end of the episode, Michelle encourages any listeners who feel like they are struggling with addiction to contact her via her personal facebook page.
I cover several issues that I have observed causing major burnout for hospice nurses.
Are you waiting for hospice to get easier?
Are you unwilling to work an 8 hour day?
Do you struggle with autonomy?
Are you unwilling to turn off your work phone after hours?
Are you unwilling to learn to chart at the bedside?
Do you have to always be right?
Do you have to fix every problem?
Is it you or your agency causing you to consider leaving hospice?
During this episode I don’t pull any punches. The issues above are what I have seen be the leading cause of burnout for hospice nurses. If we are unable to master the list above, this work may not be what we should be doing.
I don’t want anyone listening to this episode to quit being a hospice nurse. Still, this work is not for everyone. It’s okay to realize that hospice is not for you.
At the end of this episode I spend some time discussing The Hospice Nursing Community. This community has a private group dedicated to hospice leadership.
In the last week I have taken a hospice administrator position here in the Kansas City area. I will be sharing some of my experiences in the private group for hospice leadership.
I also share that I have made a change to the pricing structure. The monthly subscription is now $19.99 and there is also an option to pay $199.00 for a lifetime membership that does not expire.
As always, don’t forget to call, text or email to leave feedback! I would love to hear from you!
