How to transfer into hospice

[kayleen4246]

Good morning!

I graduated this past year from nursing school and landed a job on a postpartum floor. However, the reason I went back to school for nursing was always to do hospice work. I like postpartum and the people I work with so I'm not in a huge rush to get off the floor but I know that ultimately want to work in the hospice setting. I was wondering how I would go about transitioning into a hospice nurse? I.e. do I need to get some more med-surg experience and if so what floor? What other things could I do to make myself a realistic candidate if/when a hospice job opens up?

Thank you for your help!

[softrbreeze]

Ultimately, it depends on the hospice. I was hired with only 9 mos ER experience at my current place of employment. Hospice isn't for everyone though- even people who think they will love it can find there are aspects to the job they hadn't previously thought of which may make it unpalatable. I would suggest getting a job PRN to get a taste for it. Just keep in mind that even if you LOVE working PRN, you may not even LIKE working as a RN case manager (or "field nurse"). There is a LOT of paperwork/documentation with the FT aspect- writing careplans, progression of decline notes, preparing for IDG meetings, fall and infection reports, etc. Then on top of that, you have to get your visits in. If you can get past all of that, you probably WILL love it. I certainly do. Good luck!

[toomuchbaloney]

Yup.

Contact your local hospice agencies and discover how they can help you out. Most will have a variety of RN positions that you might consider on a PRN or Per Diem basis.

Good luck.

[ShesanRN]

Your med-surg experience will serve you well, as all the basics like I&Os, ADLs, med management, catheters, wound care, drains and trachs, are all relevant depending on the needs of your individual hospice patients. I agree with the above posters who advised to "try before you buy," on a PRN basis. You may find the biggest adjustment has to be in your mindset, because in hospice we are always looking for and documenting toward decline, not improvement, with a focus on palliation and comfort vs. cure. Good luck and welcome!

[vampiregirl, BSN, RN]

I was introduced to hospice patients working in a LTC. At least in my case, it gave me a great foundation.

Another advantage for me was that the LTC was served by multiple different Hospice agencies so I got to know a little bit about the agencies and the care they provided. I was actually asked to apply to the Hospice that I'm working for by one of the Hospice nurses - so they already knew that I'd be a good fit for them (personality and skill set wise). Hospice has been a wonderful experience for me.