hoping I get hospice position. any advice?

[ANH_RN]

hey all! haven't posted on here in a while. I have been doing some job searching and I came across a couple positions at a hospice facility. I have been doing med-surg for over 4.5 years and I feel like this is my calling. I don't really have any close friends in this field so I really have no idea what to expect. We frequently get hospice patients on our unit bc they have recently transitioned to hospice or they have been transferred from the ICU and recently admitted to hospice care and the family doesn't want to move them to an inpt unit for one reason or another. They called me the next day after putting in my application and I am truly excited for this opportunity.. the first time I have ever really been excited about a potential job interview (I've casually looked around at positions in the past). I am doing my research on interview tips but does anyone have any advice of what I could say in particular to a hospice interview? I am already anticipating a pay decrease but I do not even care. This is what I want to do. Thank you!

[CJ9330]

I think that one of the best pieces of advice I ever had concerning an upcoming interview, is to remember that it is a 2-way street. Of course they will ask me questions; but I should be prepared to ask my own - let them know I have done my research on the position I'm interviewing for. You did not mention what position it is for, but since you are a RN, I'm just taking a guess that it might be a case management position (which is what I do):

1) Is it hourly, salary, or pay per visit. (There are pros & cons of all 3)

2) If the position is for a CM position, am I required to do on-call after hours? Or back-up to the on-call nurse? (I am a CM & must back-up the on-call nurse 1 night a week, & 1 weekend a month.)

3) If I'm required to cover on-call, what is the hourly rate for being on-call/back-up? Do I get paid an additional hourly rate if I must go out on a call? (Our company pays our regular hourly rate if we must go out.)

4) Does the company provide patients/families with continuous care? If so, are CM's required to sit cont care? If so, how often & for how many hours?

5) What is mileage reimbursement?

6) What is a typical CM/patient ratio?

7) Must the CM make weekly visits to every patient? Or are weekly SN visits alternated with another nurse (i.e. LPN)?

8) Does the CM have a back-up (i.e. an LPN) for prn visits?

9) How many hours/week does a CM usually work (between visits & documenting)

I know this is probably not what you were expecting in reply, but I assure you - these are questions that are important to a hospice nurse - you want to know these answers! I went to the interview with my questions written out on a tablet.... don't know if that made a difference to them - but I did get the job. Best of luck to you!

[ANH_RN]

thank you so much! To be honest I really do not know what the position is like. On the site it just says staff RN, nothing about CM. I was anticipating it to be more of an inpt unit, which is what I kind of had in mind. How do those positions usually work? I have been trying to do my research but there is a lot I still do not know about the field. I don't want to come off as if I don't have a clue either! thanks! (im typing this w one hand and ill have more questions later!)