Want to be a Hospice Nurse!

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My long term nursing goal is to work in the field of Hospice. I am a CMSRN - working in the field of Oncology for 9 years. Having a difficult time getting hired without hospice experience. Any advise?:crying2:

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Specializes in CT stepdown, hospice, psych, ortho.

hospice almost always needs volunteers. call several in your area and inquire. get involved and ask to make visits with the hospice nurse to learn the "art" and then build a good relationship with the company by being an active volunteer and spread the word that you'd like to become an employee when a position becomes available

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Specializes in Hospice, LTC, Rehab, Home Health.

Most hospices are looking for at least 1-2 years experience in acute care or Skilled rehab. The most important requirement is a willingness (and ability) to switch the focus from curative care to palliative (supportive) care. The inability to switch from "fix it" mode to "manage the symptom" mode and the inability to adjust to the types and doses of meds used are the main reasons nurses are unable to make the transition.

During clinical orientation the most frequent comment I hear is "I'll kill them if I give them that much -------"(fill in the blank with pain med name). I gently remind them that most of these patients have been on increasing amounts of pain meds and while 200mg of morphine sulfate extended release q 8 hr would be lethal for their usual post-op patient, our patient may still need occasional doses of breakthrough meds!

There is a learning curve! LOL But his is the most rewarding nursing I've ever done!

Good Luck! I hope you are as happy as I am.

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Specializes in CT stepdown, hospice, psych, ortho.

PS I "fell" into hospice because I was working as a home health nurse with an agency that also did hospice and they were running short staffed and needed some of us to cross train. Nobody else wanted to so I volunteered and loved it.

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Where do you live? I live in the Central California area and there seems to be alot of hospice positions available in my area. I went from ER to hospice and now I regret it. The pts are cool, I can handle the death and dying part, just getting bored, and I would like to kick my boss' a$$ for him. I really do like the autonomy and caring for the pts, just dont like the admission process. If I could just do pt care I may not leave. As it currently is, I am considering a move back to the ER

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