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Hospice recognizes dying patients and their families continue to need
care and support throughout the night and during the weekend; their
needs can't be put on hold until Monday morning. Anyone who has
experienced a serious illness or injury, surgery, or a stay in the
hospital knows pain and discomfort seem to increase once the sun goes
down. In the darkness of an empty room, anxieties take on live
of their own - our fears become the bogey men of our childhood,
keeping us awake and restless with apprehension. Symptoms such
as pain or itching become intolerable.
Hospice recognizes the need for extra care and support by making
on-call services available throughout the night and weekend.
staff members are on call at all times, with backup staff available in
case the on-call staff has already been called. The on-call
number is given to patients and family members, who are encouraged to
use it whenever a problem or concern arises. Sometimes just
knowing a nurse is on call is enough to allay a family's fears.
When a family member does call, hospice staff can often hand the
problem over the phone, but some situations require a personal
visit. Calls or visits last as long as necessary to resolve the
problem, whether five minutes or five hours.
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