Considering hospice

[mindiianajones]

Hey there,

I'm a new RN of about 4 months working in med-surg at my local hospital. I used to work Hospice as a CNA before I completed my degree, and I loved it. I loved being one on one with my patient for an hour or so and being able to focus solely on them without worrying about the 9 or 10 other patients I'd been assigned to that day or running for call lights or that patient who's about to fall.

I don't plan on leaving med-surg just yet. I want, at least, my year of solid acute hospital experience under my belt, just in case, but my mind keeps drifting back to hospice work. It was such a great job, and while it could be sad, I always felt really good about the work I was doing and rarely ever stressed and anxious. (Not that bedside hospital care isn't good work too, but I'm sure you know what I mean.) I know being a CNA is different from the RN aspect, and I really do love only working 3 nights a week as opposed to the 8-5 Monday through Friday work I did with Hospice. But my anxiety is through the roof to the point I'm having trouble sleeping and getting heart palpitations every night I have to go in. Every job has its issues, I know, and being a new RN makes that worse, of course, but I'm wondering if anyone here would be willing to tell me how being a hospice RN is like? And what they love about it?

The beauty of nursing is that if I didn't like it, after all, I could always do something else, but the fact I keep thinking of going back to hospice more often than I think about advancing here at the hospital I feel like should tell me something.

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

Many will disagree with my advice here but if you feel like you're being called back to hospice, then go for it. Look for hospice jobs that fit you, and apply. Not all nurses are going to need that magic coveted 'acute med-surge' experience. Follow your own path.