HH vs Hospice Documentation

[MidwestMaude, RN]

Hello all, 

I'm an oncology nurse who has felt a pull towards hospice nursing for quite awhile. I have worked home health in the past and my main issue with that was the insane documentation requirements through oasis. What are documentation requirements like for hospice nursing (RN Case Manager)? Is it as cumbersome as home health or more reasonable?

Thank you in advance!

[vampiregirl, BSN, RN]

In hospice, we don't have OASIS thankfully! We do have some data collection but it's not as complicated and OASIS. For me, OASIS was challenging because some of the appropriate responses were not always the most obvious. And the constant updates, exceptions etc to stay current with OASIS are something else I don't miss. I think my personal frustration with OASIS was that the data there didn't necessarily contribute to patient care quality (or at least I couldn't see the clear connection!).

Documentation requirements vary between agencies and what EHR is being used. The push is for documentation to be done in the home in most cases, this was a somewhat challenging transition for those of us who have been in hospice for a while. And I will say, there are occasional situations where this just isn't possible in it's entirety. But when it is possible, it does contribute to work/ life balance.

[MidwestMaude, RN]

9 minutes ago, vampiregirl said:

In hospice, we don't have OASIS thankfully! We do have some data collection but it's not as complicated and OASIS. For me, OASIS was challenging because some of the appropriate responses were not always the most obvious. And the constant updates, exceptions etc to stay current with OASIS are something else I don't miss. I think my personal frustration with OASIS was that the data there didn't necessarily contribute to patient care quality (or at least I couldn't see the clear connection!).

Documentation requirements vary between agencies and what EHR is being used. The push is for documentation to be done in the home in most cases, this was a somewhat challenging transition for those of us who have been in hospice for a while. And I will say, there are occasional situations where this just isn't possible in it's entirety. But when it is possible, it does contribute to work/ life balance.

Thank you! That is beyond helpful and makes me so happy. I very much want to do hospice but was so nervous the documentation would be like home health. I agree 100% that the OASIS requirements did not contribute to patient care in the least and were very much hoops to jump through. 

[vampiregirl, BSN, RN]

For anyone interested in pursuing hospice nursing, I recommend joining the HPNA. They have so many resources available. Also check to see if there is a local chapter - this allows you to connect with other hospice nurses and educational opportunities.

As far a hospice agencies - do your homework! You may also want to look into free standing hospice homes near you. Inpatient hospice can be a fantastic learning experience and specific shifts. See if you can job shadow. Being in oncology you probably have some hospice contacts, reach out to them to find out about agencies local to your area. There are some very reputable, quality large agencies and hospital based hospice programs. There are also some well established non-profits.

Another good referral source to find out about hospice agencies in your area is funeral homes - they know which hospice agencies provide good care (and which ones don't!). I know that sounds weird but that's how I found the amazing agency (local non-profit) I work for. 

 

[MidwestMaude, RN]

Thank you, vampiregirl! I truly appreciate all the tips!