Hospice Care: A Beautiful Calling
I always tell people that hospice care is what nursing is meant to be. Nursing was created to care for people in their time of need. That is exactly, wholly, what hospice care does. There are very few fancy interventions or procedures. It is a pure and simple calling to care for others. And yet, it is so much more.
What I find so beautiful about hospice care is that there is no greater way to honor a person than to fulfill their dying wishes, to be wherever they call home, and to be comfortable at the end of life. It seems like such a simple request but with it does comes great challenges. As a hospice nurse, I have the privilege of entering a family’s life at the most vulnerable time and becoming a part of their journey. My time spent with the family and loved ones is as special as time spent with the patient. They give me the opportunity to learn much about those I care for. I learn what his or her life was all about, which is important, because I think people forget that they weren’t always dying; they lived full lives before this. They had their triumphs, as well as their disappointments, like the rest of us. They laughed and danced, cried and yelled. Each person we care for is unique and has lessons to teach us. What an amazing calling to be able to be there for, and learn from, them. Everyday I am grateful that I was made to be a hospice nurse.
Hospice Care: Favorite Moments
Some of my favorite times with patients seem so ordinary. A patient, Mark, didn’t like to be alone in the nursing facility. I would sit in his room and watch “Bonanza” with him while charting my visits so that he could fall asleep peacefully.
Another family honored their loved one who passed by making sure all 50 family members in town were present at death. We performed post-mortem care while listening to Tupac and were sure to dye her hair, so no one would see her grey roots.
A grieving wife, Sharon, sat with me for hours while we waited for the mortuary. She told stories of the amazing, rich life she had with her husband and of all their adventures together.
A scared young mother, Carol, didn’t want to be at home where her young children could see how she was changing for the worse every day. So, we spent time together, discussed her options, and found a way to honor her wishes by getting her into respite care immediately- despite it being Memorial Day weekend. She was so relieved to be at a facility at the end.
I have met some of the most amazing people in this world because of hospice. I know that their journey continues, and their transition through the end of this life was in their hands thanks to hospice. Hospice care gives people control over their own story- and isn’t that what we all want?
“During that 5-hour visit, I witnessed the special bond of a family.”
“We work daily to heal spiritually what we cannot heal physically.”
Hospice Care: Forever Grateful
There are countless amazing experiences I’ve had, too many to relate here, that I’ve been honored to be a part of throughout my time working in hospice care. But one such experience I will always cherish was with Bob. I met Bob during his admission to hospice care and visited him a handful of times for symptom management in the weeks following. He was a fiercely independent man, the strong patriarch of both his family and business. The days leading up to his passing were difficult for everyone, as he lost strength and balance. The final leg of his journey led us to a sunny Sunday, when I was called to visit after he had become unresponsive since my visit the night before. He was sitting in his favorite recliner, with family nearby. I let them know that it was time to call any family that wanted to see him before passing. As more family arrived, Bob’s condition continued to change frequently, requiring a keen awareness of the need for medication adjustments and support for his family. I was there for the long haul. During that 5-hour visit, I witnessed the special bond of a family. As we sat around Bob, I listened as they told stories of years past, when Bob would spend his days working his business, golfing and drinking scotch. At one point, the family said how they wished a Chaplain were available. I am no Chaplain but I nervously offered to say a prayer. I cannot explain the power of peace that settled over that room after we joined together in expressions of gratitude for this man’s life and legacy, asking for comfort for his family and strength for those who loved him. Bob passed shortly after, with his family in the next room, laughing about his “glory days,” mourning the loss of him here on Earth, and embracing a future with him on a new journey. I am forever grateful for these defining moments in my career, where I have the honor of being present to help create and witness such truly special transitions, and that families, like this one, trust me in such a vulnerable time.
This work we do as a hospice team is among the most challenging and rewarding that there is. We work daily to heal spiritually what we cannot heal physically. I hope my patients and their families, past and present, know that they have each touched my soul and changed my life. I can only hope that I have been able to give them a small piece of what they have given me.
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