Hospice Salary Requirement?

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Had an interview Friday and they asked me what my salary requirement was. I had no idea what Hospice nurses make. Is it salary, per hour, or per visit? I am a New Grad RN but I have worked as an LPN for various years in long-term care and with Hospice patients in that setting. They also requested a bilingual RN because they are losing clients to other Hospice agencies because they don't have one and I am one. So they expect me to go out and teach about their Hospice services to this community and even help translate their pamphlets.

So what should I have told her? How much did they start you at?

Specializes in Oncology, Palliative care.

Hi, GloryB, yes I work in palliative care, in a beautiful hospice, but in the UK. It is hugely rewarding and the one work place I have found where you can actually deliver holisitic care which is truly patient centred rather than being task orienatated which sadly is how it seems to be in the hospital setting due to workloads :(

I was interested to read this thread as it seems to work different in the US.

Before, I worked in an Oncology hospital which actually had it's own Palliative care ward; this would be for patients who had perhaps like your suggested, days or hours to live, so the aim would be to alleviate all symptoms and to keep the patient comfortable.

There is a huge demand on hospices in the UK and not many beds, therefore, sometimes the hospital may have made a referral to a local hospice and may be waiting for a bed there, which is when they might be moved to the palliative care ward in the interim period.

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I am a case manager RN with less than 1 year experience. My hospice is also affiliated with a hospital. I moved from med-surg to hospice for family reasons. I love hospice, but either my world is really different than everyone elses or I am missing some thing.

I get paid the same hourly rate at hospice as I did at the hospital. Except at the hospital I got paid by the hour and here I get paid for a straight 40 hour work week, Here is the rub, we are expected to work 8-5 monday through friday - which is already 45 hours. Plus I have a case load of 15, add an admission or two or a death and I am really working more hours. Plus I have charting at home every night. Sometimes I come home at 530pm make dinner for kids, etc and chart for an hour or two. Sometimes the same thing is done but I get home at 7pm. Honestly, I think I am really doing 5 12 hour shifts and wondering about going back to floor nursing. I love my co-workers and my pts, but the hours (about 15 each week unpaid) is just wearing me down.

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Specializes in Oncology, Palliative care.

hi holiday2525

i am interested to know more about your role - are you based in the community? sounds like you are a dedicated person to your job :loveya:

do you have mcmillan nurses in the us? also where abouts are you based?

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I am located in a midsized town in the southwest. I don't even know what a mcmillan nurse is. How long have you been doing palliative care. I've got to do something as these hours are just too much.

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Specializes in Hospice/palliative care.

I have not heard of a McMillan nurse either... I don't know what other parts of the country are like, but when I moved from a floor RN to hospice, I had an immediate $8 per hour raise. Get your resume out to different organizations and see what's out there for you.

Good luck!:specs:

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Specializes in Oncology, Palliative care.

They are nurses who are for people with cancer, here is some info on them..

http://www.macmillan.org.uk/AboutUs/AboutUsHome.aspx

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Specializes in Maternity, med & Surg Onc, Hospice, Med.

I took a $5 /hr pay cut to go from hospital to Home care. NYS. I have 30+ yrs exp and 12 yrs of it Hospice. Not as much pay but a whole lot less physical stress, no nights and only a minimum w/e commitment. You being a new grad RN, I think your rate is fair.

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Specializes in infusion, PACU, GI mod sed.

Try Alaska 40 per hr with 50cent per mile reimbursement, plus overtime, plus 50dollars per day for being on call, weekends 100dollars just for being on call, plus double pay then too.

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I took a $5 /hr pay cut to go from hospital to Home care. NYS. I have 30+ yrs exp and 12 yrs of it Hospice. Not as much pay but a whole lot less physical stress, no nights and only a minimum w/e commitment. You being a new grad RN, I think your rate is fair.

I too took a pay cut. 10.00 per hour from the hospital to Hospice, am working many hours at home doing paperwork so that I can come home and do laundry. I agree it is so much less physical stress but I do take call one night per week and am currently enjoying my on call weekend.. I have slept a couple of hours since Thursday night and am worn out but my body can no longer do the lifting required in the hospital. I do love hospice nursing though just wish that we had a different type of call system in place for when it is a busy weekend.

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Specializes in LTC, PCU, Med/Surg, Hospice, OBGYN.

UPDATE: Hello everyone, I will have a year experience in acute care in September which is the minimum requirement for 2 Hospice jobs I have recently applied for here in NC.

Does anyone know what the salary rate is for a Hospice nurse here in NC. I am afraid of getting a pay cut (I make about $26/hr now with shift differential included but it's overnight shifts) at a hospital. Plus I've always wanted to be a Hospice nurse but no one would hire me in NC when I moved here as a New Grad last year.

Second, those that do work as a Hospice nurse here, how do you like it?

My mother had a Hospice nurse when she passed away with cancer and that nurse is the reason why I went to nursing school in the first place. I always will remember her for her kindness and the care she gave to my mother. I want to be that Hospice nurse but I also want to be able to afford to be that nurse, especially since my husband has not been able to find permanent work since we moved here. I must provide for my children and keep a rough over our heads but work my dream job too!

Any info would be much appreciated!

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