Hospice care?

[styphon]

I am wondering how other people's programs deal with hospice patients?

In my program, if the patient gets pallative or hospice care we still follow the patient until the end. The hospice doctors act as consults as opposed to the primary service.

Anyways, some of my co-residents complained saying we have these patients on our service for weeks sometimes and "don't learn". I, on the other hand, have learned quite a bit from hospice nurses, doctors, and from reading on specific care plans. I feel much more comfortable with end of life discussions, DNR discussions, stopping all but comfort medications, using high dose pain meds, and tending to symptoms and not the primary disease process.

What is your take?

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[Shinken]

In my program, if the patient gets pallative or hospice care we still follow the patient until the end. The hospice doctors act as consults as opposed to the primary service.

Anyways, some of my co-residents complained saying we have these patients on our service for weeks sometimes and "don't learn". I, on the other hand, have learned quite a bit from hospice nurses, doctors, and from reading on specific care plans. I feel much more comfortable with end of life discussions, DNR discussions, stopping all but comfort medications, using high dose pain meds, and tending to symptoms and not the primary disease process.

I think some of your resident buddies needs to talk to you about how to "learn" with these patients! Some people like you open their minds, others do not.

Anyway, to answer your original question, in the program I trained at the patients that were transferred to the hospice service could either be cared for by the hospice physician or not, depending on your choice. You could choose to see the patient in hospice and have the hospice physician act as a consultant. Or, you could transfer all care to the hospice physician.