Hospice Interview in the Morning.

[dietcokeweasel]

Hi all. I have been a nurse (RN-BSN) for a year and a half, mostly in maternity (antepartum, postpartum, newborn), and we have a small special unit where we also care for inpatient Cystic Fibrosis patients. I also have had perinatal bereavement training, and I am the "go to" person for fetal loss on the night shift. I have wanted to do hospice nursing since I started nursing school, and now that my children are both in school I am ready for the transition. I have an interview in the morning with Community Nursing Services in Utah, which is a non-profit which has been around since 1966. I am a little nervous, and I am wondering what kind of questions they will ask me. I feel like it is a big jump from maternity to hospice, but I already made a big jump when, at age 32, I went to nursing school after being a medical microbiologist for 10 years. I feel like I can present that as an asset (my flexibility) but am wondering what sort of questions they will ask me.

As for what I will ask, I plan to ask the typical case load, whether the pay is salary, hourly, or per visit, benefits, typical daily hours, whether there is on-call or overtime. Can anyone think of anything else?

Also, I have read on here that the pay is less than hospital nursing, but several of our nurses have left the floor to be hospice nurses, and are making more than they did as floor nursing. Is this a regional fluke?

Thanks,

Sandra

[finn11707]

Sandra-

I just read your new question, but realize you have had your interview for the Hospice position by now and am wondering how it went.

Yes, I think it is quite a change from Maternity! But you reflect maturity, experience and perspective through your exposure to the deaths of babies, prior microbiology work and the inpatient cystic fibrosis care. Sometimes, it is also good to have broad knowledge base in Home Care--management of chronic illnesses, oncology/ ED or ICU ---all well represented backgrounds in nurses who I have known in Hospice. Our nurse manager has background in Neonatal ICU--the real thing is your level of compassion, people skills and coping with patient/family crisis. The work is poignant, meaningful, challenging. If hired, be prepared to have about a year long adjustment period where you are getting the feel and finding your own way to guide the visits, present educational information, honor the work, grieve the losses, etc. Most of us feel the work is truly a gift. Though the number one rule is: learning ways to and remembering to always take care of yourself.

[dietcokeweasel]

Thanks for your reply. I am not sure about how the first interview went, it was as much getting my feet wet as anything (realistically, the benefits for that organization were too expensive for a single mom anyway). I have 2 more interviews this week. Hopefully, I will have honed the way I present myself by the time I get to a company that I would like to work for!

Meanwhile, I will continue to visit to get advice and see how other people cope with and learn how to do this branch of nursing!

[finn11707]

I don't know where you are but I certainly understand the plight of a single mom...Kaiser Permanente facilities pay quite well and the benefits are less costly than others. I know it is sometimes difficult to get into a kaiser right off, and jobs are offered first to 'internal employees'---good luck.