Thinking of career change to hospice - HELP!

renerian, BSN, RN · Dec 16, 2002

I have been a hospice volunteer over 10 years. here is my speel. I love it. I am not paid so I can comment for sure on what I know. I know my husband runs a rural hospice in Ohio. Sometimes admissions are very long. Sometimes they see 4 people a day sometimes more sometimes less. They work and I mean work, all three shifts. Alot of people die in the night. It is very rewarding. I know others here work in hospice so I would like to hear what they have to say.

renerian

aimeee, BSN, RN · Dec 17, 2002

I would like to reply to this, but short on time this am and have a BIG day ahead. But I'll be back, tomorrow hopefully, to reply.

MiddleT · Dec 17, 2002

I am a Hospice nurse. (five years). I love it. You can spend as much time as needed with your pt. As with all jobs there is paper work. But the work is sooooo rewarding that is doesnt matter. I see any were from two to six pts. a day depending on the need. I have an the average eight pts. as primary nurse. I can choose whether to see them 1, 2, or 5 x wk. depending on need. Taking care of the pts. pain is easy. It is the psychosocial aspect, mostly with the family that is the challange. Ask any Hospice Nurse if you can shadow a day and you will see.

aimeee, BSN, RN · Dec 18, 2002

A typical day starts with about an hour in the office getting organized for the day, finishing up paperwork, conferencing with others on the team about patients, etc. Then its off to visit usually 4 to 6 patients. Length of visit depends greatly on what is going on. Some might be as short as 20 minutes if they are stable and no symptoms are out of control. Or it might be as long as two hours if there are lots of problems to be addressed. Then back to the office to finish off paperwork and return phone calls etc. for about an hour.

There is a LOT of education involved. Pain management, skin care, signs and symptoms of death, medications and side effects, etc. We are providing the framework and the support for families to take care of their loved ones by themselves.

Paperwork is pretty minimal (aside from admissions). We use a check off system so it doesn't take long to document the routine. Care plans are updated every two weeks and also use a check off system for goals and for interventions so they don't take too very long either. This should go even faster after we get our new laptops and software implemented.

Caseload is pretty manageable at 10 patients per full-time RN. This is assuming there is a good mix of stable vs. rapidly declining patients. If they were all in their final days then that would be very taxing.

cargal · Dec 19, 2002

I just started with a Hospice and I love it. I went off orientation and went on my own this week. Went to one private residence and to a facility to see three. Just about filled up my day, with driving and paperwork. I will treat myself to some new CDs to listen to in the car to chill to and I love the emotional support we give. Don't do Hospice if you don't like to give hugs. I get hugs everyday from the other nurses, bosses to the patients and their families. Love it, as I need the hugs!

renerian, BSN, RN · Dec 19, 2002

CArgal I am glad you love your new job!

renerian

JulieBean2U · Dec 26, 2002

Part of the reason I went in to home hospice nursing was the realization that I yearned to spend more time with the dying patient when working in hospitals/nursing facilities. With a heavy patient load, I was constantly torn between providing spiritual and emotional support to the dying patient and loved ones, and doing the hundreds of tasks for others that keep nurses sooooo busy. When I finally went to hospice care, so much stress fell away that the menial tasks became a joy to provide. It is amazing how quickly one becomes part of a family's inner circle, and how fast trust is acheived in the home setting. I have had a chance to truly see how important and significant each individual patient is, and to affirm their life's significance. I have had the privilage to walk away with a little piece of each person's life, whether it be a patient or a loved one. I'm aware of how long this reply is getting, but I feel compelled to convey this to anyone considering hospice work. It changed my life and made me a better and more "whole" person. The death process is not just the end of a persons life, it is the most important. You have the honor to be one of the last friends, last listener, last student, etc. WOW! I keep a hospice scrapbook of all the patients I have comforted, loved, and then lost. I let them know before their passing that they have touched one more life and will be leaving behind one more person who will never forget them. When I near my own end, I'll be hoping for that also.

JulieBean2U · Dec 29, 2002

Just a little addendum to my big speech above....I took a break from Hospice work in October, and have really missed it. Been doing Agency work and am currently doing a school-nurse kind of position for a day camp for medically fragile children. After I replied to your inquiry, it really struck home how much I missed doing hospice. After I left, I kept thinking about my patients, meaning to stop by and see them, especially one who had been assigned to me for over a year. The day after Christmas, I got a call from a former co-worker, and that long-term patient had passed away. It's time to get back to where I belong. Any nurse thinking about entering Hospice work should be prepared to have a life-changing experience, and be prepared to follow that path. As for me, I jumped right into the classifieds and now have a new hospice job! YEAHHHHH! LOL........JulieBean2U:roll :roll

nrs2bme · Dec 29, 2002

Julie-

Congrats on the new job! Your dedication and compassion is truly admirable... I have just started my journey to nursing and haven't made up my mind about what area of nursing I want to go into. But you have peaked my interest. I chose nursing because I want to make a difference, and I can tell hospice nursing allows a nurse to have an impact on a person's life as well as be changed herself(himself). Thanks for sharing!

Sharon

DIPLOMATICRN4HIRE, MSN, RN · Dec 29, 2002

I worked Hospice when I was a LPN going to RN school I took call and did baylor weekends with them. I loved it , loved every minute of it. It broke my heart daily but I learned more being with the patients, thier family and learning how to make things as you go. I can honestly say that was the best job I ever did, it taught me so much its hard to say it in words. If your a nurse that deals straight from the heart you will love it. There is nothing like knowing , that you truly helped another with thier wishes.

Zoe

CarolineRn · Jun 15, 2004

Hello all!

I was recently given the opportunity to work with hospice nurses two days in a row, as two of our month long critically ill pts' DR's decided there was nothing more that could be done for the pts and called in hospice.

The hospice RN who came in was so helpful! She wrote a few orders (which I carried out) and spoke with the family, and even took a few minutes to help me (a new nurse in an ICU dealing with my first deaths) feel a little better. She seemed to intuitively pick up on my pain, even as she was dealing with the much more urgent needs of the family, and offered words of support and encouragement.

Over the past weekend, I have been thinking about Hospice nursing as a possible career down the road. (I dont want to give up the awesome ICU job I have now!)

But I have some questions.

1) What is a typical day like for a hospice nurse?

2) How many hours are you on call?

3) Is there a difference in the "types" of hospice nurses? For example, some go to the hospital and offer "In-House" services, some go to the pt's homes, and some work at the beautiful and peaceful hospice houses. What kind of place would someone trained in the CVICU (no oncology) be best suited for?

4) Are traveling opportunities available for the Hospice RN?

5) Would any Hospice program accept a PRN RN for 1 day a week (while working another job, not needing benes) to help ease someone into the position down the road?

Thanks you wonderful people! :)