Nurse Practitioner in Palliative care

nursetim, NP · Dec 25, 2012

I'm interested in this as well. I'm trying to break into this area.

Hosp-RN · Dec 25, 2012

Hi, Any NP's here working in Palliative Care/Hospice? I am currently working in hospice and was wondering if it was worth it to get my NP. If you are, what kind of NP degree did you get? What does your day/work life look like? What does an NP do in hospice/palliative care? I am trying to decide if it is worth the stress and the loans! Thanks.

Hi, I am also an RN working in the hospice arena. I am enrolled in an NP program hoping to stay with my current company when I am finished doing a combination of my current job/ face to face visits to meet the Medicare requirement r/t benefit periods. I am hoping that as healthcare evolves the NP role in hospice will expand to include more of NP home visit care as well to ease the burden on our medical directors. The program I chose was FNP, because some hospice agencies to do not focus soley on adults.

Good luck to you in your decision,

Hosp-RN

SandBetweenMyToes, BSN, RN · Dec 25, 2012

I am nurse practitioner working in palliative care. My specialization is primary health care (family) so I can treat all ages, though the majority of my patients are adults. Of those, the vast majority are end of life cancer patients, but there are also patients with MS, end stage COPD, ALS, dementia, etc. My primary role is making home visits as a consultant. I go in, collect an in-depth history, do a complete head to toe physical assessment, and a complete medication review. I specialize in pain and symptom management. In my jurisdiction, I cannot prescribe controlled substances, but I make detailed pain control recommendations to the the most responsible physician, be it, family doc, or or oncologist. I also work closely with various pain specialist and hospice physicians in the community, and facilitate referrals to them if it is necessary. I also provide leadership and training to the agency visiting nurses in my community for this palliative program. My training is extensive though not from a "palliative program" per se. There are numerous recognized certifications and workshops I attend regularly. As well, before I became an NP, I was a visiting nurse for a local home health care agency where I learned much of the fundamentals needed for palliative care. If anyone cares to PM me, I will be happy to provide more details.

cammiebed · Jan 17, 2013

I would really like to visit with you about details of your postion. Can you please email me if you are interested in chatting....thank you!

Cammie~

abc456 · Jan 18, 2013

Hi, SBMYToes,

Can you tell us who you work for- hospice organization or home health agency or what?

Thanks!

Hi, Any NP's here working in Palliative Care/Hospice? I am currently working in hospice and was wondering if it was worth it to get my NP. If you are, what kind of NP degree did you get? What does your day/work life look like? What does an NP do in hospice/palliative care? I am trying to decide if it is worth the stress and the loans! Thanks.

db2xs · Apr 7, 2013

I want to be a palliative care NP. I recently shadowed a palliative care NP/DNP who works in a palliative care team in a major hospital. She told me that it's better to specialise in something like family practice, acute care, etc., rather than specifically palliative care. Many states will not recognise the palliative care specialty, but you can be a family care NP (for example) and then get enough credit hours to work specifically in palliative care.