Your loved one’s hospice team is composed of compassionate professionals collaborating to provide comfort and support to your loved one and family during this difficult time. Care teams always include physicians, nurses, home health aides, chaplains, social workers, and often volunteers. While each person contributes meaningfully, a hospice nurse plays a vital hands-on role to support hospice patients and their families. 

In this blog, we’ll highlight how hospice nurses provide personalized care, collaborate with the care team, and educate families.

Hospice nurses provide hands-on personalized care 

A hospice nurse cares for your loved one to make sure physical, emotional, and spiritual needs are met. Some of their responsibilities may include:

• Assessing physical or mental changes in condition
• Helping family members and caregivers learn how to monitor and manage symptoms
• Teaching family members and caregivers how to administer medications as prescribed by the physician
• Documenting care and updating records
• Ensuring care aligns with your loved one’s preferences and enhances their comfort and quality of life

Your loved one’s hospice nurse prioritizes comfort and personalization in end-of-life care.

Hospice nurses collaborate with your loved one’s care team 

In addition to providing hands-on care and education for the family and caregivers, hospice nurses also play a vital role in coordinating treatment plans and communicating with the rest of the care team. Oftentimes, they collaborate with the family and care team by doing the following:

• Communicating any physical or mental changes to the physician
• Fielding questions and concerns from family members and providing regular updates to them
• Working with the doctor to implement any changes in the care plan
• Coordinating with home health aides, social workers, and chaplains to ensure their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs are met

By being a team player, hospice nurses ensure care remains consistent and focused on your loved one’s wishes. 

Hospice nurses educate patients and their families 

Hospice nurses can provide hands-on education for family members so they can feel confident caring for their loved one at home. This personalized guidance helps families understand what to expect during this time. Nurses can help families by educating them on how to do the following:

• Reduce the risk of falls to keep your loved one safe at home
• Properly administer the medications the physician prescribes
• Assist in routine care, like feeding
• Properly use any medical equipment, such as oxygen tanks
• Make your family member feel comforted and supported

By working closely with your family, hospice nurses provide invaluable information to help families feel more comfortable and educated.  

While our hospice staff is always eager to teach, we also offer helpful digital resources that can be accessed anytime by visiting The Reading Room. It’s our new, dedicated online tool filled with information for patients, families, and healthcare providers.

Northern Illinois Hospice is here to provide compassionate end-of-life care for your loved one

As the first hospice provider in the region, Northern Illinois Hospice has been helping people transition to hospice care for more than 45 years. Our team provides compassionate end-of-life care to individuals with life-limiting illnesses.

We honor patients and their wishes by providing specialized care that treats the person, not the disease. We offer a wide range of palliative and hospice care to improve your loved one’s quality of life in their final months.

Our experienced team of healthcare professionals, social workers, and volunteers is here to ensure your loved one’s comfort and support.

Since hospice care has so much to offer patients, families, and providers, it can be confusing at times. That’s why we created The Reading Room.

The Reading Room is a special place where people can learn and grow in their understanding of hospice and palliative care, any time and anywhere. It’s like having a whole library in the palm of your hand or with a click of your mouse. With dozens of articles and helpful how-to videos in both English and Spanish, The Reading Room can serve as another helpful guide. 

To learn more about our hospice or palliative services or how we can help you navigate end-of-life care for your loved ones, call us today at (815) 398-0500.