The Role of a Nurse in Hospice Care
Nurses play a significant role in hospice care. In addition to the conventional nursing duties of observing, assessing and recording symptoms and treatments, they also provide emotional support to terminally ill patients and their families. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for all nurses is expected to grow by 23 percent from 2006 through 2016. With an aging population and an increased emphasis on patient rights in the dying process, hospice nurses should be highly sought.
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Job Description
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Hospice nurses provide treatments that are intended to reduce pain, rather than to cure a disease. They work with patients in their homes, in hospitals or nursing homes. They work with a physician to provide direct patient care, changing aspects of that care as the patient's needs change. They coordinate efforts among social workers, home-care aides, physical therapists, chaplains and others and act as a liaison between the patient, his family and physicians. Depending on local laws, hospice nurses may handle the legal declaration of a death--pronouncing the time of death and contacting the mortuary or funeral home.
Education
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Hospice nurses may be licensed practical nurses or registered nurses. They have taken the conventional nursing coursework, including anatomy, biology, chemistry and nursing practices and have had clinical experience in an acute-care setting. Most nursing programs have a segment covering hospice care, including pain management, the grief process, the stages of death and dying and legal aspects.
While not required, the National Board for the Certification of Hospice Nurses offers a certification examination for those with hospice experience. It is a 175-question multiple-choice examination covering many aspects of hospice care. As demand for hospice services grows, employers may prefer candidates who pass the certification exam.
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Personal Qualities
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While hospice nursing has many of the same duties and work conditions as other nursing specialties, it can be an emotionally draining job. Hospice nurses know their patients will die, typically in six months or less. Hospice nurses also regularly work with family members, who are also starting to grieve and may be angry, sad or tense. These feelings may color their interaction with the nurse.
Hospice nurses working for a home-care agency must have reliable transportation and a flexible schedule. Because the dying process varies, it may be difficult for hospice nurses to coordinate work schedules. They may need to spend less or more time with a patient than planned.
Salary
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Hospice nurses salaries average about $50,000, according to simplyhired.com. Salaries can vary according to geographic region, education (LPN, two-year RN, and four-year RN), experience and type of facility--hospital, nursing home, home-care agency.
Advancement
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As with most nursing positions, advancement depends on experience and education. Some hospice nurses become directors or assistant directors of the facility or the hospice division of the agency. Other leave hospice service entirely, become home-care nurses or emergency or surgical nurses. Other hospice nurses become administrators or physician's assistants after taking the necessary coursework.
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