How to Be an Effective ASN in a Hospice
We each have our choice on where to work and practice our ASN degree. We might work in a hospital, nursing home and even hospice. If an ASN chose to work in a hospice there are several skills that one has to learn in order to become an effective ASN in a hospice.
Proper Pain Treatment
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In a hospice, patients are mostly given comfort than being given a cure. Most patients who stay in a hospice is in near dying or has no hope of any recovery. The main factor that would worry the family is pain management. The patients suffer from different degrees of pain. The nurses who are in-charge in this kind of situation will use a pain threshold test to determine the dosage of medication that will be given to them. In this kind of situation the nurse is part of the team that helps patient cope with pain.
Effective Communication Skills
The nurse acts as both spokespersons for the patient and their family. If one will continue to work in this kind of environment one must acquire the ability to listen and communicate well. The nurse also acts diplomatically especially if the patient has different cultural, religious or spiritual beliefs. The main objective at this point is to give the patient the dignity they deserve in the times that they are almost dying.
Competent Liaison and Coordinator Skill
As a person who will take care of the dying patients, there are many consultations that will happen during this time. The role of the nurse is to be competent when it comes to dealing with doctors, relatives of the patients and the patient itself. It cannot be helped that there will be some struggles and conflicts between families and the doctors. So it is best that an open line of communication is open and that the nurse in charge knows how to coordinate well with each one.
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Strong Self-Control
Working with dying patients can be a trying time for a nurse. One is surrounded with death and it is not an easy task to cope with. As a person, it is only natural that we feel the pain and sadness whenever one of our patients pass away. However, one also has to control the emotion especially in front of the patient's family. A person should show calmness and serenity. One can grieve after when there is no one to see it except trusted colleagues.
