Working for Hospice?

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Hello everyone. I am new to Nursing- I have been a RN for a little over a year and was a LPN for a year and a half. I work at a dialysis clinic and like it but am thinking about trying out Hospice. What advice could you give me about being a Hospice Nurse? Do you typically have one patient per 12 hour shift? Is it hard emotionally?

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Specializes in Hospice.

I hope I can answer your questions.

Being a hospice nurse is the hardest, most stressful job I have ever had. I have a level of personal responsibility that I never even came close to in the hospital. If things go wrong, it is generally the nurse's fault (or at least the nurse's responsibility). The being said, this is the most challenging job i have ever had. When a family puts my name in the newspaper because I made such a difference in their lives, I remember why I do this. The chance to feel the presence of God, see spiritual peace, and witness comfortable deaths can never be overrated.

There are different types of hospice nursing. We do not have an inpatient unit or do continuous care, so our nurses see about 5-8 pts per day in the community, and are responsible for 12-15 patients.

I do not think hospice is a job for people who have a hard time with boundaries. Our pt's at our hospice die on average in 30 days, so getting attached to every pt might make a person go crazy. I care about my patients, but in general keep a little emotional distance. Not always, but a lot of the time.

Anyways, I think it will be a huge change for you, but I will never regret being a hospice nurse.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.

Erin summed everything up nice! We do not have an inpatient center, either. In my case, I only work on Tuesday and Friday as I'm also a student. My pts all live in an LTC facility. There are usually between 6-9 pts at a time there. It is a difficult job, but I absolutely love it. As Erin stated, when a family thanks you personally in the paper, it's an amazing feeling. I had some problems w/ boundaries in the beginning, but have since worked all that out.

I've been doing hospice nursing for the past 12 years and can't imagine doing anything else. My classmates all talking about the hospitals they want to work in after graduation, but I'm planning to stay in hospice....probably until they day they admit me for services. LOL.

Hospice isn't for everyone. Nurses either love it or hate it. I've never met a nurse who is lukewarm about hospice, but I'm sure there are some. Sometimes you'll have to spend extra time w/ a pt and that will put your whole day behind. Good luck to you!

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I've been in hospice administration for four years. Our patients live in a variety of settings---private homes, long term care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, etc. We have smiles, tears, stresses, and any other emotions you can imagine. When you think you've seen it all, something new comes along. Our field staff is the best ever. They have varying degrees of experience and they always pull together to help each other and provide the best possible level of care to our patients and families. I am in awe of them every single day. They are truly angels here on earth. Our office staff recognizes their challenges and bends over backwards to provide them the support they need and deserve from us.

It is sad when we lose a patient, whether they've been on service with us for a week or a year but we take comfort knowing we provided a dignified death with comfort and support. We continue that support to the family when the patient has passed. We forge relationships and strong bonds. Our philosophy isn't about death but about living whatever time you have left.

If you truly think you would enjoy hospice, I urge you to give it a try. You'll know whether or not it is your calling professionally but even if it's not, it will touch you personally and change your life!

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

I'm not a hospice nurse so I can't speak to what it's like to be one, but I am the DNS of a skilled facility with many hospice patients. We have contracts with several different hospices since the families must be given a choice of the hospice they want. We consider the hospice providers as part of the team and are thankful when we get a nurse with compassion and knowledge of end of life issues. If I didn't love being a DNS so much, I'd go to work for hospice in a heartbeat.

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Thank you all for your replies. I think that I will try prn first and see what I think....

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.
Thank you all for your replies. I think that I will try prn first and see what I think....

Keep us posted!

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Keep us posted!

I am am a new nurse of 1 year. I'm currently in hospice and I HATE it!! I know it is not for me so I am changing areas. My pay is the best I've ever made however I know if my heart is not in it it's best I move on.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
I am am a new nurse of 1 year. I'm currently in hospice and I HATE it!! I know it is not for me so I am changing areas. My pay is the best I've ever made however I know if my heart is not in it it's best I move on.

so the only nursing job you have had is in hospice care and you hate it?

what part of hospice nursing do you hate?

most nurses consider hospice to be a very "pure" form of nursing because it is so autonomous, is very based upon a nursing plan of care, and is patient (rather than provider) focused.

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Specializes in hospice.

If someone is the kind who craves the adrenaline of ED or the technical and acuity challenge of the ICU, I can see them hating hospice.

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Specializes in School Nursing.
I am am a new nurse of 1 year. I'm currently in hospice and I HATE it!! I know it is not for me so I am changing areas. My pay is the best I've ever made however I know if my heart is not in it it's best I move on.

May I ask what it is you hate about it?

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