The Hospice Nursing Podcast

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...

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/

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As always, don’t forge...

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 sto...

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...

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 owners...

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 conversatio...

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 an...

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 tim...

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 Bath

The Last Prayer

Hospice Is Like Haircuts?

Be Like Aunt Joyce

My Friends Keep Dying

A Night at the Park

The Last Kiss

The Guardian

I Remember Angie

Whatever You Say, James

It’s Okay To Die On Thanksgiving

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As always, don’t forget to call,...

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.

1. Reliab...

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...

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 thes...

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...

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...

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 e...

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.

1. Redundant Documentation
2. Nurse-to-patient Ratios
3. Compensation

Shelly shares some of her discoveries surrounding redundant documentation that adds almost an entire day to th...

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, misrep...

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 failu...

This is part 2 of my conversation with Kris from The Hospice Nursing Support Group on Facebook.

During part 2 if this conversation I ask Kris the following questions.

1. How does IDT work at the hospice house?
2. Do all hospice house patients die?
3. How do you describe the hospice house to your admissions?
4. What are the pros and cons of being an inpatient hospice nurse?

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As always, don’t forget to ...