Potential new traveler- Inpatient hospice to MS?

Posts: 1 · Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 1 Location: RN

I am considering making the move to traveling which has been a desire for some time and now unexpectedly coordinates with my spouses job demands. I have been a nurse for a lot of years, with background in critical care units, the continued rounding out in neo, outpatient surg., private pulmonary physicians practice, home health, then in hospice care for the last 5 years with the last 3 of those in the Houston medical center in an inpatient hospice unit where we receive patients from all over the Houston metroplex with acutely exacerbating symtoms both from the home setting as well as from hospitals ( primarily the medical center), when they are unable to mange them or no longer find them appropriate for their focus of care. It is taxing physically and emotionally. Ratios are maintained ideally @ 1:4 and at times 1:5, total care, due to the intensity of physical and emotional crisis of both family and patient. These patients are birth to over 100 and have any imaginable combination of diagnosis, both medical and surgical. I am finding it very difficult to identify companies with placement opportunities in the hospice arena specifically and therefore have thought that a most appropriate lateral placement would be med-surg, but do not want to be disillusioned and set myself up for failure, as I have not actually worked in a "hospital" for some time. The inpatient unit functions very much like one. We administer parenteral fluids, enteral feedings, provide unbelievable amounts of wound care, etc. My first assignment would likely be near the New Orleans, La. area. I am open to, and welcome any input. Please advise re agencies, NO La. area, realistic move from inpatient hospice to MS hospital setting, or traveler hospice op....thanks for reading and input!