Part-Time Hospice Nurse?

Specialties Hospice

Published

Hello all,

Although a member of allnurses for a bit, this is my first post on allnurses! Hopefully someone out there can help me.

I have been a nurse (Part-Time) since 2008 starting out in Cardiac Step-Down and then primarily in the community setting. For the past 9 months I have been in Geriatrics. After almost 5 years I still feel I haven't found my niche.

My current position has introduced me to working more closely with Hospice and really feel it would really be a good match. I continue to be impressed with each Hospice nurse I come in contact with and their philosophy of care, demeanor and education towards patients and their families seems to most closely match my own. I have been told I make my patients feel at ease in times of crisis and love finding ways to best educate. I find I do best when I feel I can manage my own time, rather than having to manage time around tasks and finite deadlines (if that makes sense).

My questions are this:

*I am drawn to the ability to spend time one on one with patients and families providing care and education. Is this found in hospice case management?

*Do Hospice case managers find resources available to them if needed? My concern is I feel everyday I learn more of what I don't know and while I appreciate the autonomous and intimate nature of home care are there nurses readily available for question or is that where a solid orientation comes in? (I also understand you can never know everything!)

*Does Inpatient Hospice have the same expectations as case managers (patient load, time spent with patients/families, management of symptoms...)

*I need to work Part-Time. Can Hospice nursing be done (sanely:sneaky:) part-time? What should the expectations be when working PT (case-load, etc...)?

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. I know there is a place out there for me in this world of nursing just looking to find it and tired of feeling like I'm floundering.

The answers to these questions really depend on for what company you work. If they use an LVN/RN team it is primarily to give the RN as high a case load as possible to manage while the LVN does half or more of the visits.

I haven't been solidly oriented anywhere yet. Don't expect the hospice will be different.

I've never worked impatient hospice.

You won't get a case load p/t. You will do admissions and call - pronounce death, put out fires, etc.

Specializes in LTC, med/surg, hospice.

You can work PT in an inpatient setting. I work in a free standing hospice house.

Each shift you are assigned patients and provide care with symptom management as the focus.

Thank you so much for your replies. I just received a phone interview and your response has given me a good start on some questions to ask.

Working part-time for hospice (other than IPU) would be challenging. Typically case managers work 8-5 M-F and the on-call staff handles 1700-0800 and weekends. It's been my experience that most hospices offer FT case manager positions, on-call positions, and per diem. I really haven't seen PT, but doesn't mean it doesn't exist; however, it is difficult for another CM to cover your patients between 0800-1700 because they would have their own caseload.

Specializes in Hospice, Geriatrics, Wounds.

In my opinion, continuity of care is SO IMPORTANT in hospice. One of my biggest complaints, and families too, is having different nurses visit (not on call, bc that cant be helped) for routine care. Its difficult to note decline, or f/u with symptom management if there are different nurses visiting. Families get frustrated having to answer the same questions over and over (which can be avoided by sending same nurse as frequently as possible) .

Good luck to you.

In my opinion, continuity of care is SO IMPORTANT in hospice. One of my biggest complaints, and families too, is having different nurses visit (not on call, bc that cant be helped) for routine care. Its difficult to note decline, or f/u with symptom management if there are different nurses visiting. Families get frustrated having to answer the same questions over and over (which can be avoided by sending same nurse as frequently as possible) .

Good luck to you.

Hey gal I tried to reply to your PM but your message quota is full--

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