My experience with Hospice and Palliative Care

For those of you who joined early in 2008, you may wonder why I have not been active much. Well, for a minute I was smothered in finals papers, and working the next dead end job. My summer plans were nothing, and then, while riding the subway one day I noticed an advertisement for student interns. I immediately wrote down the number and vowed to call them later. A few days went by, and I still hadn't called. Then a few more.

One day while in my universities computer lab, I ran into a fellow classmate, who asked me if I had an internship yet? Yet? It was still only a dream. Then he told me that there were openings at the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. I had never heard of the place. Palliative Care...Did it care for taste buds?

Throwing caution to the wind, I took down the information, and the next day i sent in my resume and coverletter. The next day was life as usual. The day after I decided to give the HR Manager a call. We had a good conversation, but I turned in my resume too late. I was numer 11 on the waiting list. The next month went by as usual, and I still had no internship.

Pleasantly I recieved good marks, and for a week forgot about everything. Then I got an email in mid-May. What were the chances? What were the chances that my email would hold an offer for summer internship at the NHPCO? There it was strait from HR. I was in. My first day was May 28th, and wore a 2 piece business suit. After doing a good amount f research on the organization, I found out that they advocate for End of Life Care for all citizens and especially the terminally ill and disabled.

Immediately I was confident. I have disabled members of my family. I felt like their cause was noble. After meeting my supervisors, finding out I can wear a polo, and filling out my tax information, I began to learn about their work. The NHPCO is the largest and most active organization in the world that provides education on End of Life services available to all American citizens. They are even involved as I type with EOL care in atleast 10 other countries, serving as agents for education.

Of course for the first week I was immersed in busy-work. You know, sorting, filing, data entry, and my favorite, envelop stuffing. Then I was given a real task. The NHPCO provides outreach guides for hospices and coalitions, to help them engage their communities on EOL Care, and I was asked to read and review the draft of their newest edition. I was able to make comments and changes as I deemed nesissary. I read it and commented in like an hour I was so excited. Then before the end of the day I e-mailed it back to my supervisor.

A few days went by and we were preparing for the annual Regulations Education Conference. I had yet to recieve a response. I wanted know what he thought. It wasn't that I was unconfident , but as some of you may know I tend to have a polarizing opinion. Either you love it, or you hate it. Then, one Wednesday I ran into him speaking with another employee. I waited at the coffee maker until after he finished then I approached and asked what he thought about my comments. I was lucky. He loved them! note: that usually means their going to love everything.

Now, I am working on most of the new guides being released this summer. I have the chance to write the introduction to one and even somehow won the challenge of designing the layout, a task that is currently very painstaking. I love it, but graphing designers will agree, its very tedious.

For those of you with older people in your family, education is important. Alot of people have misconceptions about hospice. Did you know that some "graduate" from hospice. Both hospice and palliative care is covered by Medicare/Medicaid. Also, the fairly new term palliative care encompasses in home care, "comfort care", social work, advance directives, and living wills.

"We all want dignity in death"