Medical unit vs Hospice

[twokidsmom,rn]

Hi

I graduated from a RN diploma program May 2008. I have worked on a medical surgical floor in a hospital, and recently started working on a medical floor at a VA that is 5min from home. It is full time nights with everyother weekend. I truly am not happy on this unit. I am considering a full time days for a hospice company but it is in a different state which is about 45min from home. It is Mon-Fri days NO WEEKENDS NO NIGHTS. I do have 2 school aged kids who do not like my current hours. THey say I sleep during the weekends and they can tell I am not happy. Any advise, should I leave the VA and go with the hospice company that is in a different state or just stick it out with the VA in hopes it gets better or I can eventually transfer units.

[leslie :-D]

well, it seems you have enough med/surg experience to go into hospice...

but if you do, i would try and research this hospice org thoroughly.

there are hospices that still treat its employees and pts suboptimally.

although i don't do home hospice, i'd imagine you'd want to find out your case load, and how much territory you'd be expected to cover.

i hated working nocs, and just about any job would have looked more attractive, so i understand, believe me.

whatever you decide, just do your homework, and don't do anything impulsively.

(i work inpt hospice and LOVE it).

leslie

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I'd question whether it's truly "no weekends, no nights." Hospice patients need care during those times too, of course. Is there someone on-call during those hours? Are you expected to take your turn being on-call? Definitely find out about that before you start because on-call can eat up a weekend or night very easily.