At Connecticut Hospice, a patient's care plan is individually designed and based on clinical assessment and careful the documentation of symptoms. Patients who are critically ill and whose conditions are rapidly changing require constant attention and assessment.

The focus of Connecticut Hospice nursing process is on the patient and family. They are - together - one unit of care. No patient is assessed in isolation from his or her family. Family dynamics are as carefully assessed as other factors impacting a patient's physical and mental well-being. Patients and their families retain a voice in the care plan; they give as well as receive care.

As the patient and family's personal link to the rest of the caregiving team, the Hospice nurse coordinates the many details of the caregiving process. A highly supportive environment allows questions about the illness, its progress, and treatment to be discussed freely and honestly.

Families need not only someone to listen to them, but also someone to accurately interpret and explain the changes in the patient. It takes some time and patience to establish a level of trust. As the patient draws closer to passing on, time spent with the family increases. There must be time to confer with other team members to ensure that all the parameters contributing to the status of the patient are considered.

This is true whether the patient is cared for at home or in the inpatient units. Many people with an irreversible illness wish to remain at home, and The Connecticut Hospice strives to provide the most appropriate setting for care. Hospice home care nurses provide quality care in the patient's own environment.