Assessments preformed during routine visits fluctuate depending on what symptoms are present, willingness and presentation of the patient, and type of visit

Respond to this post by Mikayla: Hi all! My name is Mikayla. I practice in central Massachusetts where I have lived all my life. I have been a nurse for close to two years now. I have been working as a hospice nurse since May of last year and I absolutely love it. Prior to that I worked in long term care, as a floor nurse and a 3-11 supervisor, primarily caring for residents with memory deficits. In hospice, the philosophy and approach are much different than virtually any other setting or type of healthcare. Typically, the most thorough assessment is completed upon admission or the 24-hour follow up visit to help establish a baseline to monitor future decline. Assessments preformed during routine visits fluctuate depending on what symptoms are present, willingness and presentation of the patient, and type of visit. For example, every two weeks a comprehensive assessment is completed which covers all body systems, psychosocial concerns, and so on. At the same time, depth of assessments are nearly always determined by the patients. Hospice is a facet where patient-centered care is truly honored; patients outline what they want and what they don’t and it is respected. It is never essential to obtain all vital signs or preform any assessments that would cause the patient discomfort. Although assessments may be less aggressive and mostly visual or verbal, symptom management and end of life concerns are thoroughly addressed.