Part time weekend Hospice job in addition to regular job... Am I crazy?

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I work M-F at a health department. Love the work, hate the bureaucracy and co-worker drama. I have always been interested in Hospice and my first job out of school was on a oncology floor. Our local hospice house has a position for every other weekend 3-11:30pm.

I am considering applying because

1) I am interested in end of life care and this is a nice way to get my feet wet

2) Working STI/FP clinic and doing paperwork for the last two years makes me feel like I am losing my "real" nursing skills

3) I'd like to get perspective about my current position and whether it's worth sticking around for.

4) the extra $$ would be nice

I'm 26, no kids, live with my boyfriend of 6 years who is in school and studies some weekends anyway.

Any thoughts?

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Specializes in geriatrics and hospice palliative nursin.

The question you need to ask yourself is do you have the "hospice heart" Hospice nursing is a calling, either you have it or you don't

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I started working hospice as a very part-time nurse when I quit the bedside to go back to school for my BSN. I'm still there and see patients on Monday, do some call during the week, call every other weekend.

Go for it. You have no other issues (children, spouse). Give it a try.

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young, single and no kids? Wow, I would go for it!

Best of luck to you!

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Thanks guys! I am going to put in an application tomorrow. Excited!! :) I think this position is the perfect way to see if I have the "hospice heart". I learned as a new grad that I do NOT have the "med/surg-oncology-full-code-status-on-a-90-year-old" heart.

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Specializes in hospice.

I don't really think you have to have a "calling" to go into hospice. I actually had to be talked into it when I applied for a home health position, I agreed with the understanding that I could go to the home health side if I didn't like it....of course that was over 10 years ago and I don't think I will ever do anything but hospice now.

I am working 7 days a week right now because we need hospice RN's and because I love it, it doesn't seem like I'm working that much. I work full time as the on call, but still see 13-17 pt during the week. Love the money, still home at night during the week with my kids and daddy watches the kids on the weekends.

If I was single and no kids, I would probably work 7 days a week forever. It can be emotionally draining at times, frustrating and never ending paperwork, but what other job pays me to drive around listening to books on tape, drinking a soda, and going into peoples houses and visiting with them. What we mostly do is talk, teach and listen. Best job I ever had!!!!

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Got an interview for this Friday! Yay!

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Good luck on your interview!! Let us know how it goes!

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Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

I think that sounds like a well thought out plan.

Don't worry about whether or not you have a "heart" for hospice nursing. I have come across a number of nurses who really had hospice "hearts" but could not function well as clinicians and they were not successful.

There are many pros and cons to hospice nursing and the rigors of the profession are distinctly "not for everyone".

Good luck. Keep us in the loop as you move forward.

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