ever worked in hospice?

[scarlett123]

What exactly does a hospice RN's job entail? How is your typical day like?

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Yup, but you will find lots of stuff to read under the "Specialty" tab, then scroll down to "Hospice" there is an entire area for hospice talk.

[lonestar_rn]

I float to our hospice unit on a fairly regular basis. Typically my day down there consists of assessing for comfort and giving pain meds. It also involves listening both to the patients and their families and providing emotional support. Unless it's your calling, I don't recommend hospice for the new grad nurse, it's all about comfort and it's very slow-paced (usually). A new grad won't learn the skills they need to be a well rounded nurse.

[klone, MSN, RN]

My husband is a home health hospice nurse. His day consists of traveling to visit various patients, coordinating medication changes and making sure they're delivered, troubleshooting problems (such as leaking catheters, unexplained dizziness, questions about medications), coordinating services such as bereavement or spiritual counseling, coordinating arrangements with funeral homes, attending deaths, and lots and lots of paperwork. He said it's one part nursing, one part social work. There's a HUGE social component with dealing with family, and you really have to be a good "people person" to be good at the job.