What does it take? Direction please

[NCINDASUN]

Hi. I am a soon to be graduate (Friday) and I'd really like your thoughts on what a new grad should do if she thinks Hospice is her calling.

I can't imagine that they want new grads, so where does one start? Which is the more important experience? MedSurg? Oncology? Psych?

My clinical rotations gave me several opportunities to provide pallative care and I just found something so special about being with the patient through those last days. I felt honored to be part of it.

How do I begin honing my skills to make me ready for this type of work.

(By the way, I ain't no spring chicken myself)

Thank you.

[CANRN, MSN, RN]

Our Hospice requires a nurse to have at least one year experience in Med/Surg and prefer Critical care nurses with at least one year experience. Although, we have hired a recent new grad but she was "older" in age and they took into consideration her "life's experiences" and the fact that two of her family members were hospice patients.

[RnRatchet]

We suggest the same at our hospice that they do at CANRN's hospice. Maybe you can volunteer as a patient care volunteer to get your feet wet. We have vigilant volunteers that stay with patients and families 24 hours a day during the last days of their lives if they wish. Each one takes shifts.. some 4, some 6, etc. This way you could see how the hospice staff interacts with families. I know we absolutely LOVE all our volunteers!

[rosemadder]

Our Hospice requires two years Med-Surg. experience. (The last place I wanted to work...but I bit the bullet and now I'm a Hospice nurse...you can do it too)!