[greenbean]

I am a fairly new LPN (July 2005), though an older one (I'm 45). I have wanted to work in hospice for at least a few years, and was a volunteer for a while a few years ago. I've had a lifetime of experience working with the elderly, and currently live with my mom and stepdad, who has Parkinson's and is probably hospice appropriate. I also have a BA in Sociology. My question is--is there much room in hospice work for LPN's, or should I begin planning on continuing to RN or BSN? I feel that my background makes me a good hiring candidate, but in reality I wonder if being a LPN is going to handicap me too much within the hospice field. Thanks for any advice/suggestions.

[Mamanurse62]

I am an LPN and I am a hospice nurse. I LOVE it and it took me 20 years to let God put me where I was supposed to be. I have been full time now for less than three months, but worked part time for about a year before full time became available. I work on the travel team. I go to a patient when continuous care has started. This is when death is imminent. When there are no cont. care cases, I help the RN's do weekly visits, and even do some HHA fill in's at times. I am currently working toward my RN and plan to stay in Hospice. Really the only thing that RN's in hospice do that we can't is pronounce death, and do care plans. Which I have written also, and the RN signs off on them. Don't be discouraged, if you have the heart for hospice, you will find one that wants, and needs you. Mamanurse62

[Suesquatch]

There are a lot of LPNs in hospice. And you can do an LPN to RN program on-line.
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[doodlemom]

We use quite a few LVN's at our hospice for inpatient care, continuous care, and 2nd non assessment home visits.

[aimeee]

This is a question that you really should ask of the hospices that are in your area. We do use a few LPN's, mostly for continuous care. We allow our continuous care LPN's to study during quiet times while they are working (so long as patient care comes first!) so it would be a good job to have while completing your schooling for RN and then BSN.

[greenbean]

Thanks to those who replied. I found it very helpful. I do intend on contacting a hospice in my area (NE Ohio), though I hope to be moving back to Tucson AZ next year, and I'm curious about Florida too.



A friend taught me this prayer and I've found it to be priceless: "I pray for your highest good".

[bravechip]

I do not know where you are from but in my Hospice inpatient unit, the RN has to do the assessments and the charting,

[suebird3]

We have the first free-standing Hospice House here in Illinois.....
I believe the House itself employs LPN's, but the Home/LTC Visit nurses are RN's.

Good luck!

Suebird

[RnRatchet]

At our hospice an LPN can do almost everything a RN does. The things LPN's don't do: HHA sup visits, lab draws, admission assessments. Good Luck!

[doodlemom]

Originally Posted by RnRatchet

At our hospice an LPN can do almost everything a RN does. The things LPN's don't do: HHA sup visits, lab draws, admission assessments. Good Luck!

That's great - but why wouldn't an LPN be able to do lab draws? An unlicensed person is allowed to draw blood - unless it's from a central line. If you get your blood drawn in a doctors office, it's not usually an RN, but a medical assistance drawind the blood.