Hospice nurses perform a vital role in healthcare, providing end-of-life care for patients. The work is emotionally demanding, but it can also be emotionally rewarding. Learn how to become a hospice nurse and what they do in this guide.
Who Is a Hospice Nurse?
Hospice nurses care for terminal patients in the last six months of their lives. They can work in patients’ homes, hospice care settings, or hospitals.
Although hospice and palliative care nursing are similar, palliative care nurses work with patients at all stages of illness to improve quality of life, while hospice nurses work exclusively with patients at the end of life.
Hospice nurses collaborate with other healthcare professionals, such as physicians, social workers, and caregivers to provide support for patients and their families.
Hospice nursing emphasizes easing symptoms and keeping patients as comfortable as possible. This usually involves administering medications, wound care, and emotional support.
Duties & Responsibilities
A hospice nurse’s role is distinguished from other specialties because they don’t expect their patients to improve. Instead, the care they give provides an improved quality of life to terminally ill patients.
The goal of hospice nursing is to diminish pain, increase comfort, and provide emotional and spiritual support and education to patients and their families. Hospice nurses perform several tasks to meet this goal, which include:
Medical Services
- Patient patient assessments for hospice admission
- Administering medication & recommended treatments
- Ensuring the availability of medication/specialty equipment
- Maintaining medical charts, patient files, and health records
- Ordering medical supplies
- Providing wound care when necessary
- Responding to emergency calls & providing crisis care
Emotional, Spiritual, and Mental Well-Being
- Arrange spiritual support services
- Evaluating patient needs
- Providing emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual support
- Act as liaisons to caregivers and spiritual guides
- Provide hygiene assistance
Caregiver & Family Support
- Advocate for patients and their families wishes
- Assist patients and their families with appropriate paperwork
- Create a plan of care for caregivers
- Provide compassionate end-of-life education to patients and families
- Provide respite care for family caregivers
Skills & Attributes
Hospice nursing is a clinically rigorous specialty. Nurses in this field must constantly assess, evaluate, and respond to patient needs while keeping caregivers and the care team informed.
To meet these requirements, hospice nurses must have excellent clinical and communication skills. Other skills necessary to succeed as a hospice nurse include:
- Empathy & compassion
- Emotional resiliency
- Cultural & spiritual awareness
- Confidence working with little supervision
- Strong interpersonal skills
Hospice Nurse Benefits
In addition to salary, hospice nurses are also likely to receive a range of benefits that may include:
- Discounted childcare
- Medical, dental, and life insurance
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) or Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
- Nursing conference reimbursement
- Paid time off and sick leave
- Retirement plans
- Short and long-term disability coverage
- Tuition reimbursement
The Difference Between Hospice and Palliative Care
Palliative and hospice care are different nursing specialties focused on different patients.
Hospice care is for patients who are approaching the end of life. Generally, this means they’re expected to live for up to six months. Hospice care begins after treatment has stopped and is designed to manage a patient’s symptoms and provide physical comfort.
Palliative care generally is designed to ease the pain and discomfort of patients who are trying to cope with an illness, disease, or medical treatment. Cancer patients, for example, often receive palliative care to help manage pain and other symptoms that may be caused by the disease or treatment.
How to Become a Hospice Nurse
Step 1: Become a Registered Nurse
Step 2: Gain 2-3 Years of Experience
Step 3: Get Certified
Where Can I Learn More About Becoming a Hospice Nurse?
Hospice nursing is a unique specialty area, and nurses who are interested in pursuing this career can learn more about the role by seeking guidance from the numerous organizations, societies, and agencies that support this specialized field. These include:
- American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
- Hospice and Palliative Care Nurses Association
- National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care
- National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
- National Palliative Care Research Center
REFERENCES
- Morganne Skinner, How to Become a Hospice Nurse, Updated on June 27, 2024, https://nursejournal.org/careers/hospice-nurse/how-to-become/
- Catherine Burger, Hospice Nurse, Last Updated On Feb 4, 2025, https://www.registerednursing.org/specialty/hospice-nurse/
- Nursepective, What Is Hospice Nursing? + Key Differences Between Hospice Nursing And Palliative Nursing, October 3, 2022, https://nursepective.com/what-is-hospice-nursing/
- What Is the Role of a Hospice Nurse?, https://mylifechoice.org/2024/04/20/what-is-the-role-of-a-hospice-nurse/
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JOHN NOORD
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