No, you are not. Hospice should have been more specific if they were leaving the phone duties to you! That was neither professional nor fair! Also, there were other things that could have happened: a patient could have been moved back home, for a number of reasons; a patient could have been transferred for any number of reasons; etc. Without supplying you with the needed information they placed you in a very awkward situation. Don't blame yourself for not assuming things you had insufficient info on!

Your not stupid, you were in help mode and not where you would have been when answering those questions. Place of mind. Do not blame yourself it is a learning experience. Once when Kate's father was in a hospice I befriended a woman who had been there for a time. Kate's father passed and we left, I gave it no thought. Several months later we went back for a gathering and I noticed the lady was not there. I immediately found a quiet place and just opened up tears crying the whole works. After some time I must have disturbed one of the hospice people. "What is bothering you", the lady with the breathing machine, she passed. "No we sent the home, apparently the doctors misdiagnosed her. She is fine and with her family". Don't know what else to say.

They should have communicated their information better.

I'm sorry. You are not an idiot. You should not have been put in a position to deal with phone calls like that without forewarning.

Sometimes we have to feel disappointed in ourselves to fully learn the lesson. Don't beat yourself up over it though.

Also remember that no one expects a hospice patient to not die, so news of their death is never unexpected.

Just a life lesson, ironic, but a learning event.

Perhaps you need to bring this up with hospice?

You weren't trying to upset that woman you just didn't get time to think it through.

Hugs!

You are not stupid. You are compassionate.