Hospice Nurse Practitioners

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Hello!

I am finishing up my AGNP program next year and am brainstorming jobs- Hospice vs. PCP. I have worked for inpatient Hospice + ICU as an RN. I really, really love Hospice but I don't really know what NP's do--- what is a typical day for a Hospice NP like? Pros/cons? Pay? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

I begin my clinical year in September and am required to do mostly PCP, but I am doing a bit with a hospital-based Hospice NP too, and hopefully a Home Hospice NP too... but that isn't for a couple of months! The suspense is killing me.

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NPs do face to face visits for patients who need a new certification period after being on Hospice care for one or maybe two cert periods recently. The NP I worked with used to take calls and order meds, ok admissions, etc, cover for MDs, and do the face to face visits. I am not sure about the pay but it varies depending on your location.

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What exactly are face to face visits? Just a home assessment to determine whether or not the patient qualifies? I've heard that some NPs JUST do face to face... I would much rather do something more like what you described though- taking calls, orders, covering for doctors, etc. Thanks for the info :)

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Regulations mandate that a provider (MD or NP) must assess the patient "face to face" prior to recertifying a patient as appropriate for continuation of hospice services. NPs often hired to do this role due to lower salaries than if a hospice agency were to pay an MD. These visits are not billable but some hospices pay well for this service as it is needed.

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I think your role as a hospice NP is very dependent upon the specific agency. For example my agency has NPs that round as a provider in an inpatient hospice facility, hospital, outpatient clinic, and nursing facilities. NPs also do face to face visits.

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